… and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home. (John 19:27)

As He completed His ministry on earth, one of the last directions of Jesus from the cross was to make provisions for His mother, Mary. As the oldest son in the Hebrew culture, he bore the weight of caring for his parents as they aged. Even in the most pivotal moment of mankind, when the only sacrifice that could sufficiently atone for our sins was made and in the midst of his pain and suffering, Jesus demonstrated a seemingly small act of servant leadership by directing John to care for Mary.

So, it is fitting to end this devotional journey of moving others into first place in our lives with this passage. As you seek to become second to those around you, putting yourself aside in humility, consider this important moment from the cross. There is no greater act of sacrifice than to lay your life down for another. Even in those moments, caring for our family is the supreme example of servant leadership.

As you continue on your journey beyond this series, ask God to continually place opportunities in your life to be second to those around you. In every situation and circumstance you face, be mindful of your leadership that comes from serving those in that situation with you. When we can face our challenges and lead others to Christ at the same time, we demonstrate His sacrifice in our lives.

Ask God to show you two or three specific ways you can demonstrate His love over the next weeks and months. On the notes page provided for this week, write those Next Steps out and commit to serve those around you. Let God continue to develop an I am second heart inside of you. 

Joseph also provided his father and his brothers and all his father’s household with food, according to the number of their children. (Genesis 47:12)

If anyone had the right to complain about his family, it was Joseph. There probably has never been any greater opportunity to avenge the wrongs in life than Joseph experienced. Hopefully you have read how, because of his family, he was thrown in a hole in the ground, sold into slavery, falsely accused of rape and thrown in prison. However, by God’s leadership and provision, he rose to be the second most influential person in the kingdom of Egypt.

If Joseph failed to recognize this divine leadership and provision, he could have mistakenly seen his rise from the pit to the prison and then to Pharaoh’s side as something that he accomplished by his own hard work. However, Joseph’s willingness to follow and recognize God in every situation helped him to rise above the rough times that he experienced and ultimately forgive his family.

No matter what situation you might be living with because of your family, God wants to give you the ability to rise above through following Him and recognizing Him in every situation. Your story can be like Joseph’s: one of spiritual success that defines your lifestyle and ultimately brings the ability to forgive and serve those who have hurt you.

The story of Joseph may also inspire you to take a stand and be an advocate for those marginalized and suffering around you in this world. However, if you feel like a victim of your family history today, ask God to show you His divine plan to take you from the pit to Pharaoh’s side in your context. Also, ask God to give you the opportunity to truly forgive and to lead by serving those who might have hurt you. 

From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. (Genesis 39:5)

Take some time today and tomorrow to read the full story of Joseph from Genesis 37:39 – 45. While it may seem overwhelming to read eight chapters of the Bible, the leadership that Joseph demonstrated while serving those God placed in his life is well worth the investment of your time. Tomorrow’s devotional will build on this servant leadership story. 

Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers. (1 Peter 3:7)

Do not get caught up in the gender roles that are described in this verse. While God’s definition of a family and His direction for leadership is clear throughout His Word, we can become distracted by disagreement and miss out on the underlying principle. Today’s principle is this: we are really leading when we are serving. Leadership is not telling other people what to do or controlling someone else; but as today’s verse states, it is about prioritizing the other person as more important than yourself.

Even if you don’t agree with a term like weaker partner, it’s not hard to imagine how much better the world would be if husbands valued their wives with consideration and respect and wives did the same for their husbands. When we can learn to think first of what do they need from me before what do I need from them, we take steps toward that better life Peter describes here.

In fact, Peter goes so far as to say that our willingness to lead by serving affects our spiritual life as well. Throughout the New Testament Gospel accounts of Jesus, Peter stated that how we consider others matters as much as how we consider God. Read Matthew 22:34 – 40 and examine how Jesus taught us to prioritize.

Today, ask God to give you an other’s first attitude at work, on the highway and especially at home. What is one next step you can take to serve your family and lead them closer to God and each other? 

These commandments I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. (Deuteronomy 6:6-7)

Today’s passage comes from a passage known to the Hebrew people as the Shema. Every morning and every evening for thousands of years, orthodox Jews have recited these verses as a remembrance of God’s laws to the Israelites. To continue today’s study, look up in your Bible the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy and read verses 8 – 9. Notice the specific ways God instructed His people to remember His direction and provision in their lives.

As children develop we naturally teach them about things that will benefit them or harm them. Looking both ways before crossing the street, playing nice with others, respecting your elders, not touching a hot stove, not running with scissors or not petting a strange dog are just a few examples. God has told us for generations that it is also, just as important to teach our children His guidelines for living.

As parents, we know and learn that we truly set our children up for blessings when we teach them to live as followers of Christ. When we make this a part of our daily routine – at breakfast and bedtime, when we are on our way to school or practice and when we are simply spending time together as a family – we honor Him and serve our children well. What we do with the instruction of our children is as important as what we do with our heads and our hands. Our homes are to literally demonstrate God’s presence in our lives.

This week, pick one area of the Shema to practice in your life with your family. Gather for prayer at breakfast or begin a family devotional at bedtime. Pray and thank God for His provisions and ask for His direction as you drive. Turn off the television for an hour and share with your children what God is doing in your life. Ask God to help you lead your family well this week.