The Way Up Is Down—Rethinking Leadership
A Reflection of 1 Corinthians
Worldly Wisdom vs. Kingdom Wisdom
For many years, I have had this thought: the wisdom of the world suggests that as we grow in expertise, secure more degrees, achieve greater success, and accumulate more credentials, we also grow in our capacity as leaders. By that logic, the most accomplished should walk with the most confidence and self-reliance.
But the way of the kingdom is upside down. While it is very tempting to embrace this as a worldview—gaining greater self-reliance— I find it to be inaccurate from a kingdom perspective. The world says: as you grow in accomplishments, you grow in ability. The kingdom says: as you grow in accomplishments, true maturity leads you to deeper dependence on the Lord.
Paul’s Countercultural Example
Paul knew this well. He was a man of immense accomplishments—well-trained, intelligent, and capable. Yet hear how he describes his ministry:
“For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to evangelize—not with clever words, so that the cross of Christ will not be emptied of its effect.” (1 Corinthians 1:17, bold print mine)
From the start, Paul refuses to lean on cleverness or brilliance. Why? Because to do so would diminish the power of the cross.
Power Through Weakness
Paul goes further:
“When I came to you, brothers, announcing the testimony of God to you, I did not come with brilliance of speech or wisdom. For I didn’t think it was a good idea to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I came to you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. My speech and my proclamation were not with persuasive words of wisdom but with a powerful demonstration by the Spirit, so that your faith might not be based on men’s wisdom but on God’s power.” (1 Corinthians 2:1-5, bold print mine)
Notice what Paul highlights here. Paul—bold, brilliant Paul, one with many accomplishments—came in weakness, fear, and trembling. He admits his words were not persuasive by human standards. And yet, they carried the greatest persuasion of all: the power of the Holy Spirit.
The world prizes strength. The kingdom raises up the weak. The world applauds confidence. The kingdom delights in trembling dependence.
The Spirit’s Work in Us
Paul reminds us that true wisdom and eternal transformation cannot be earned through effort, credentials, or brilliance. They come from the Spirit alone. He says,
“Now God has revealed these things to us by the Spirit, for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God… Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who comes from God, so that we may understand what has been freely given to us by God.” (1 Corinthians 2:10-12, bold print mine)
Here is the paradox of leadership in Christ: the more we acknowledge our weakness, the more room there is for God’s strength to work through us. As Paul says, “we have the mind of Christ” (2:16).
Co-Laboring With God
We have the mind of Christ! God imparts His wisdom to us, not so that we might boast in ourselves, but so that we might join Him in His work. 1 Corinthians 3:9 states,
“For we are God’s coworkers. You are God’s Field. God‘s builders.”
Imagine that—the Creator of the heavens and earth, inviting us to co-labor with Him. The very one who simply spoke into existence the world as we know it with all of its intricacies. And now he is allowing us by his spirit that dwells within us as we rely on him to be part of Co-laboring with him to establish his kingdom! This is not about climbing the ladder of human greatness. It is about kneeling low, acknowledging our need, and being lifted by His Spirit.
Paul continues,
“So no one should boast in human leaders, for everything is yours… everything is yours, and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.” (1 Corinthians 3:21-23)
The message is clear: leadership in the kingdom is never about boasting in ourselves. Paul emphasizes this matter in 1 Corinthians 4:7 when he states,
“For who makes you superior? What do you have that you didn’t receive? If, in fact, you did receive it, why do you boast as if you hadn’t received it?”
A Simple Picture of Leadership
Should we continue to grow, learn, and strive for excellence? Absolutely. To steward well what God has entrusted to us is an act of worship. But the goal is never to showcase ourselves—it is to glorify the King of kings. God does not need us per se, but in His grace, He invites us to be included in the great work He is doing—to establish His Kingdom.
Here is the paradox in one simple picture:
The world says that as accomplishments grow, so should our self-reliance (the line climbs upward). But the kingdom says that as accomplishments grow, true leadership grows in greater reliance on God (the line bends downward).
If you remember nothing else, remember this picture. The way up is down, and that’s the way of Jesus.
The Takeaway: The Way of Dependence
This is the path of Jesus. The way of surrender. The way of dependence.
So let us not climb higher into self-reliance, but kneel lower into God-dependence. For there we will find true strength. There we will discover lasting impact—for the kingdom and for the world.
Let us live (and lead) in such a way.[1]
[1] All Scripture references are from the Holman Christian Standard Bible.