Today’s story seed is The Greatest Principal.
From the Gospel of Matthew chapter 20:26
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant.
Two principals in the same school district wanted to be great, to be well thought-of, to be respected, and liked, to be leaders in their school and in the district.
One of them signed her picture which was displayed in the front office. She wore exceptionally stylish clothes. This principal had an expensive car and a special parking spot with a sign that read: RESERVED FOR PRINCIPAL. She demanded that her teachers perform to the highest standards. When guest speakers came to the school, the principal always introduced them to the students and talked at length before handing the microphone over to the featured speaker.
The other principal had her picture displayed in the office as well, and next to it she placed a picture featuring the student of the week. Her clothes were modest, as was her car. She didn’t have a special spot reserved for her to park. She monitored the performance of her teachers closely and would often invite them into her office to support them when they were having unusual challenges. Whether guests came to the school or not, this principal was insistent that the school be clean and tidy. When she saw the janitor was having a particularly busy day, she would grab a broom or mop and help out with the cleaning.
The first principal would ask the students, “Who’s your favorite principal?” She loved to hear them say, “You are!”
The other principal would say to every student she saw, “You’re one of my favorite students and don’t forget it!”
When a child had a behavioral issue, the first principal often told the child, “I don’t have time for this nonsense. Shape up or ship out.”
The other principal was more sympathetic. She would ask the kids to tell her what happened. She would connect with them and not shame them, and when she saw that they were ready to listen, she would explain the consequences of their actions.
The district had a contest for the greatest principal. Every family in the district got a vote. The first principal reminded the students for a full week to make sure their parents placed a vote for her. She sent home a special flyer to help her win the contest.
The second principal never mentioned the contest to her students or parents or faculty. She told her secretary, “It’s a silly contest. Let’s not spend effort on it.”
When the votes were tabulated, the first principal won by a landslide. She put her first-place ribbon on her autographed photo. She was very proud.
As the years rolled by, students would occasionally come back to the first school and say hi to their principal.
But at the second school, on a regular basis, students would reach out and thank their principal for being so wonderful. That principal remained at the school for 38 years. High schoolers, college students, and some parents would all return to school to say hi to the greatest administrator they had ever known.
We can all see the basic difference between these two principals. All of us have a bit of both sides in us—the proud, and the humble. If we want to be a leader, Jesus invites us into servant leadership.
Tap into that place inside of yourself that wants to see others succeed. Find ways to help others. Authentically model what you want others to do. Follow Jesus’ example, and you, too, can get your picture up on the office wall as student of the month.
Now let’s take 30 s
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