I believe in servant leadership, and the servant always asks

Hear the words of Mike Pence, who declared: “I believe in servant leadership, and the servant always asks, ‘Where am I needed most?’” This saying shines like a lantern in an age where many seek power for themselves. For here we are reminded that the highest form of leadership is not dominion, but service—not to stand above others, but to stand among them, bearing their burdens and guiding them with humility. The servant leader does not cry, “What do I gain?” but instead asks, “What do others need?” In this lies the heart of true greatness.

The meaning of servant leadership is that authority is not a throne but a responsibility. The one who leads as a servant does not seek recognition, but seeks the good of the people. He listens more than he commands, he nurtures more than he compels, he sacrifices more than he demands. Such leadership is rare, for it requires humility, and humility is the hardest virtue for the human heart. Yet it is also the most powerful, for it builds trust, loyalty, and strength that no tyranny can ever sustain.

Consider the greatest example of such leadership: Jesus of Nazareth. Though called Lord and Teacher, He washed the feet of His disciples, teaching them that the greatest is the one who serves. His question was always: “Where am I needed most?”—with the poor, with the broken, with the outcast. His life was the embodiment of servant leadership, and His legacy endures not because He ruled with power, but because He ruled with love. Here is the eternal proof that the servant’s path is the highest path of all.

History also offers us earthly examples. Think of George Washington, who, though offered kingship after victory in war, laid down his sword and returned to his farm. When later called to lead a new nation, he did not seize power but served reluctantly, asking not where he might be exalted, but where he was most needed. By his humility, he set the pattern of leadership for a republic that endures to this day. His greatness was not in clinging to authority, but in being willing to let it go for the sake of others.

The question “Where am I needed most?” is the compass of the servant leader. It points not to comfort, but to sacrifice; not to ease, but to responsibility. Sometimes it means stepping forward into hardship; sometimes it means stepping back to let others rise. The servant leader’s joy is not in being seen, but in knowing that the work is done, the people are helped, the community strengthened. To lead in this way is to live in tune with the deepest call of humanity: to serve one another in love and in duty.

The lesson, then, is clear: if you would lead, begin by serving. Do not ask what you can gain, but what you can give. Do not seek the spotlight, but seek the place of greatest need. In your family, in your work, in your community, let this question guide you: “Where am I needed most?” For in answering it, you will discover the true meaning of leadership, and in living it, you will inspire others more deeply than any crown or title could.

Therefore, beloved listeners, let your practice be this: serve with humility, lead with compassion, and act with courage. When others grasp for power, let your hands be open to give. When others ask for honor, let your voice ask instead, “Where am I needed most?” In this way, you will walk the path of the servant leader, and your legacy will not be measured by how high you stood, but by how faithfully you stooped to lift others up. And remember always Pence’s truth: leadership is service, and the servant asks not for himself, but for the good of all.