Servant Leadership That Actually Changes People - Leadership part 3

Leadership can look impressive and still be hollow. We’re digging into a sharper standard: the real measure of a leader isn’t how many people know your name, it’s how many people come closer to Jesus Christ because they’ve come to know you.

I walk through the final part of a leadership series by putting two kings side by side: Rehoboam and King Benjamin. They both inherit authority and speak to their people, but they produce opposite outcomes. Rehoboam leans on pride, control, and heavier burdens. King Benjamin leads through sacrifice, stewardship, and a relentless habit of redirecting praise upward to God. Along the way we unpack Mosiah 2, including the practical power of “when ye are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are only in the service of your God,” and why gratitude is one of heaven’s strongest safeguards against pride.

Then we bring it home with everyday, practical servant leadership: parenting that helps children believe, marriage built on serving without keeping score, and workplace leadership that protects and lifts instead of demanding. The daily question becomes personal: which king rules your heart today, pride or humility, proving yourself or improving yourself?

If this helps you, subscribe, share it with a friend who leads in any way, and leave a review so more people can find the message. What’s one burden you can lighten for someone this week?

Transcript

Why Leadership Must Point To Christ

SPEAKER_00 0:26

Good morning, good afternoon, good evening. Whenever you're listening to this, I come to you happy that you're here. As we talk more about servant leadership, as we talk more about Christ and how you can become more like him and more Christ-like in the way you serve and lead other people. Today is part three, the final part of this leadership leadership discussion about the mistakes that Rehoboam made and the king that chose a different way, King Benjamin. Welcome to Todd Talks, where I help you to design the spirit life that you desire. This is Todd Talks Spirit by Design. The goal is for you to grow spiritually so that you're prepared for the second coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And how do we do this? How do we become more than we are? Well, you have to choose to grow. You have to choose to change. You can listen to a lot of things. But until you act and make choices that choose to be different, things don't change. Been thinking about that a lot lately. Because we're either growing or we're dying. I like that phrase. Heard that several times in the last couple weeks. You're either growing or you're dying. Now, when it comes to being a leader, in whatever category of leader that you are, the measure of your leadership is not how many people know your name. It's not how many people give you kudos and respect for the office. The true measure is how many people come closer to Jesus Christ because they've come to know you. That's the goal, isn't it? Help others to come to Jesus Christ. That's even in our daily lives, whether it's your business life as a leader, whether it's your home life, church life, you want people to want to know God and Christ more because they know you. Jesus Christ changed the definition of greatness. He taught us that the greatest should be a servant of all.

Rehoboam Versus King Benjamin

SPEAKER_00 3:55

His name was King Benjamin. When I think about Rehoboam and King Benjamin, I can't help but notice that they each inherited a kingdom, both possessed authority, both were sustained by their people, both stood before large gatherings to address an entire nation. Yet the similarities end there. One king divided a nation, the other united his. One ruled through stat through status, the other led through sacrifice. One demanded heavier burdens, the other spent his life carrying the burdens of his people. If Rehoboam showed us what happens when pride sits on the throne, King Benjamin shows us what happens when Christ sits on the throne of the disciples' heart. So King Benjamin became king and loved his people. Well, first, he had an extremely peaceful reign. It didn't start that way. There was lots of wars in the beginning. But through his service, through his attitude, through who he was, they had a period of peace, unlike any other. So towards the end of his life, he gathered tens of thousands of people around the temple. Families had traveled for days. He called a big meeting. Tents are pitched facing the house of the Lord. Parents are teaching children. Grandparents are sharing stories of God's deliverance. The atmosphere is one of anticipation. Everyone has come to hear their beloved king. But before Benjamin begins speaking, the scriptures teach us something powerful, remarkable. This wasn't a man intoxicated by power. This wasn't a ruler obsessed with his own importance. This was a disciple who understood stewardship. Listen to his own description of his reign. In Mosiah 2 9, he said, I have not commanded you to come up hither to trifle with the words which I shall speak, but that you should hearken unto me and open your ears that ye may hear, and your hearts that you may understand, and your minds that the mysteries of God may be unfolded to your view. Notice where he directs their attention, not towards himself, but towards God. That is one of the first signs of Christ-like leadership. It redirects praise upward rather than inward. Benjamin continued, I have not commanded you to come up hither that you should fear me, but that you should listen unto me. How different is this from Rehaboam? He wanted people to fear his authority. Benjamin wanted people to understand truth. Fear can control behavior for a season, but truth changes hearts forever. Think about the movie Star Wars. What did the Empire think that they could do? As Admiral Tarkin said, fear, fear will control the systems. With this powerful Death Star, we will be able to control everyone through fear. He was wrong. And he blew up. So there's that. Lots of millions of pieces, he became President Gordon B. Hinckley once taught that leadership in the church is fundamentally about service, not status. That principle applies just as powerfully in our homes and workplaces. Your children don't belong to you, they've been entrusted to you. Your calling doesn't belong to you, it's been entrusted to you. Your influence isn't yours to possess, it's yours to consecrate. Everything we have is ultimately on loan from God. When we understand that, leadership becomes stewardship, and stewardship changes everything. King Benjamin makes one of the most astonishing statements in Scripture for a king, especially. He said, I myself have labored with mine own hands that I might serve you, and that you should not be laden with taxes. Think about that. He was the king. He could have justified luxury. We've seen many examples of kings justifying luxury in Scripture. He could have argued that his position entitled him to comfort. Instead, he worked, he served, he sacrificed. Why? Because Benjamin understood that privileges always carry responsibilities. Sponsorabilities. The greater the influence, the greater the obligation to bless others.

Stewardship Over Status In Leadership

SPEAKER_00 9:30

This reminds me of something that every pilot eventually learns. The captain isn't the most important person on the plane. The passengers are. Everything that we do, from pre-flight inspections to weather briefings to checklists, is ultimately done for those entrusted to our care. No passenger boards an aircraft hoping to admire the captain's authority. They simply want to arrive safely. And it's crazy to me how everyone always thanks us for getting them there safely. I often will say, well, we want to get here safely too, but that's the point, right? We want to get from point A to point B safely. From this world to God safely. No child wakes up wondering whether mom and dad will remind everyone who's in charge today. They want to feel safe, loved, heard, protected. Good leadership creates environments where others flourish. Benjamin understood that instinctively. See, one of Satan's oldest lies is that power exists for personal benefit. We see it in Washington. We see it in the pre-mortal conflict, we see it in government all over the world. Lucifer sought glory for himself. He wanted control without sacrifice, authority without accountability, recognition without redemption. The Savior offered something different, radically different. He volunteered to descend below all things. He would suffer, he would serve, and he would redeem. From the very beginning, having revealed two competing philosophies of leadership, one says, serve me, the other says, Let me serve you. Every day, every leader chooses between those two voices. When a husband insists on winning every argument, he chooses rehabom. When a wife quietly serves her family without keeping score, she reflects Christ. When a manager takes credit for the team's success, he echoes the world. When a leader celebrates the accomplishment of others, he echoes heaven. Leadership is less about position than it is about pattern. Whose pattern are we following? King Benjamin then teaches one of the most quoted verses in all of Scripture. In Mosiah 2.17 it says, When ye are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are only in the service of God. Let me read that again. When ye are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are only in the service of your God. I think about that. I reflect on it. Notice what it doesn't say? It doesn't say service earns God's love. It doesn't say service replaces ordinances. It doesn't say service alone saves us. Instead, Benjamin teaches that serving others is one of the clearest expressions of our love for God. Why? Because every person you meet is one of Heavenly Father's children. Every interaction becomes sacred. Every conversation becomes an opportunity to represent Jesus Christ. President Nelson invited us to let God prevail in our lives. One of the clearest ways we let God prevail is by allowing him to shape how we treat his children. When we become more patient, God prevails. When we forgive, God prevails. When we choose compassion over criticism, God prevails. Service isn't merely something we do, it's evidence of who we are becoming. Benjamin could have ended his address there, right? Most kings would have. Instead, he leads the people to an even deeper truth.

Service, Humility, And The Unprofitable Servant

SPEAKER_00 13:42

He reminds them that despite all he has done for them, he himself is still an unprofitable servant before God. He chooses humility. He expresses his own unworthiness, his unperfection. He's truly humble. He refuses to let people worship the servant instead of the master. Every blessing he teaches ultimately comes from the Lord. That perspective protects leaders from one of the greatest dangers they will ever face, believing that their own success originated with themselves. The moment leaders begin taking credit for blessings that belong to God, pride quietly enters the room. And once pride enters, division is never far behind. That's exactly what happened in Solomon's later years. It's exactly what happened in Rehoboam's reign. Benjamin knew that gratitude is one of heaven's greatest safeguards against pride. A grateful leader remains teachable. A grateful disciple, a grateful leader remains humble. A grateful heart remembers the true source of every good gift. So Benjamin wasn't finished. In fact, he was about to teach one of the most humbling doctrines in all of Scripture. He said, If I, whom ye call your king, do labor to serve you, then ought not ye to labor to serve one another. Notice what he's doing. He's lowering himself beside them. He's saying, If your king is willing to serve, then surely each of you should be able and willing and able to serve one another. That is the culture of Zion. I was just listening to a talk by President Ukdorf, where he was talking about how in all the congregations we don't have a paid clergy because every calling that we take upon ourselves is a calling of service. We serve each other, we serve those around us, we serve the church. There are no spiritual celebrities, there are no important disciples and ordinary disciples. They're simply covenant people striving to become more like Jesus Christ. Then King Benjamin takes a lesson even deeper. Behold, ye who ye have called me your king, and if I, whom ye call your king, do merit any thanks from you, oh how ye ought to thank your heavenly father. This is one of the greatest safeguards against pride. He refuses to let people's gratitude, to allow the pre people's gratitude to stop him. He redirects every expression of praise back to God. That's what Jesus did through his ministry. Again and again, the Savior testified that he came to do the will of the Father. He gave glory to the Father. He pointed people after the Father. A Christ-like leader never tries to become indispensable. Instead, they help others become more dependent on God than on themselves. If you think back to the council in heaven, Satan said, Let me have thy glory to the Father. And Christ said, The glory be thine forever to the Father. Benjamin then teaches a doctrine that has changed the way that I think about discipleship. He says, If you should serve him with all your whole soul, yet you would be an unprofitable servant. At first, that verse can sound discouraging. Does it mean our efforts don't matter? Absolutely not. He's teaching something far more profound. Imagine trying to repay your parents for giving you life. Or in the case of one kid sued their parents for giving them life. How why does somebody do that? Um, could you ever repay that gift? Of course not. No matter how much you accomplished, they still gave you something you could never have obtained on your own. Now magnify that infinitely. Heavenly Father has given us life, agency, the atonement. Every breath we take, every heartbeat, every opportunity to repent, every spiritual gift, every sunrise, every relationship, every covenant, every hope of eternal life. Benjamin reminds us that even if we serve God with perfect devotion in every second of every moment of every day of our lives, we would still forever be indebted to his grace and mercy. That doesn't discourage disciples, it fills them with gratitude. And grateful people become humble people. One of the remarkable things about Benjamin's reign is that the people trusted him. Why? It wasn't because he was the strongest warrior. It wasn't because he demanded loyalty, it wasn't because he threatened punishment. They trusted him because they knew he loved them. Think about the leaders who have most influenced your life. Was it because they intimidated you? Probably not. Was it because they constantly reminded you of their authority? Probably not. More likely, the ones that influenced your life. The ones that you remember and that you actually care about? It was because you knew they cared. Love creates trust. Trust creates influence. Influence creates lasting leadership. That's exactly how the Savior leads us. Jesus never forces discipleship. He invites it. His perfect love motivates willing obedience. As President Dieter Efuktorfus taught, God's way is one of persuasion, long suffering, gentleness, meekness, and love unfeigned. Those qualities don't diminish leadership, they define it.

Leading At Home, Work, And Yourself

SPEAKER_00 20:24

So let's bring King Benjamin's leadership into our homes. Imagine if every parent began each day with one question: How can I make it easier for my children to believe in Jesus Christ today? Not merely how do I get them to obey, obedience matters, standards matter, correction matters. But children flourish when they know that every correction comes from love. Benjamin's leadership teaches us that people are more willing to receive counsel from someone who has consistently served them. The same principle applies to marriage. Instead of asking, Am I getting what I deserve? Ask, how can I better serve my spouse today? Imagine if both husband and wife asked that question every morning. You think the divorce rate would be so high? I think not. Entire homes would change, cities would change, lives would change. Perhaps the most important leadership assignment you'll ever have is leading yourself. Every morning you decide which king will rule your heart. Will it be pride or humility? Will you spend your energy proving yourself or improving yourself? Will you defend every weakness or invite the Lord to refine you? I just listened to uh Jim Rohn uh talk the on uh YouTube the other day. Actually, I listened to several, but One of the things that he really focused on focused on is if we're not improving ourselves, we're going backwards. We're dying. We're growing or we're dying. That's where I first heard that. And you can only grow when you're open to grow, open to change, when you are humble and teachable, right? King Benjamin reminds us that discipleship begins by remembering who we are. We are children of God. Everything we possess is a gift. Every success is possible because of his grace. Every opportunity to change is evidence of his mercy. When we remember that, repentance becomes less threatening. Correction becomes less offensive, service becomes more joyful, and humility becomes more natural. King Benjamin shows us what happens when humility governs the heart. And Jesus Christ reveals the perfect pattern of eternal leadership. The question now becomes deeply personal. How do we cultivate those Christ-like attributes in our own hearts, in our own lives? How do we become leaders who lift rather than burden? How do we ensure that our homes, callings, our workplaces, and our own hearts remain united instead of divided? We've already answered those questions. Humility, teachableness, openness to change. That's how you do it. Invite Christ into your life, become more Christ-like, be willing to change and adapt. Look at others with love and serve them, and you'll be able to become the servant leader, become the leader of your home, yourself, your family, your job, your workplace, church, whatever callings you may have, anyone that you have the opportunity to lead, you will serve. And it will show, and people will want to follow you. That's the lesson. Pride or humility. Choice is yours. May we all choose humility over pride. This has been Todd Talks, where I help you design the spirit life you desire.

Choose Humility And Share The Message

SPEAKER_00 24:46

If you appreciate this discussion on leadership, if you want to learn more, feel free to message me. There's a link link down below, as well as in the show notes, as well as share this with friends, share this with people. If you think that these episodes are helpful, spread the word. More people I can help, the more people I can help. It only makes sense. It is a numbers game, right? But if I'm helping one person, one person at a time, if I helped you, thank you. I'm very happy. As always, have a blessed day.