The Kingdom Lens: Unity and Reversal as Better Questions Than Authority

When Jesus spoke of the Kingdom of God, He rarely mentioned power structures. He talked about seeds, servants, and a cross. And when His disciples asked about greatness, He flipped the script: "Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant."

As I began to see leadership through a Kingdom lens, two themes stood out: unity and reversal.

Unity doesn’t mean uniformity. It means belonging to one another. Paul’s vision of the body in 1 Corinthians 12 dismantles hierarchy—not by flattening our differences, but by honoring every part.

Reversal, meanwhile, is not just a theme—it is a paradox. It’s where power is expressed through weakness, where victory comes through death, and where the greatest becomes the least. This is the paradox of leadership in the Kingdom of God.

Jesus embodied this. He, the Messiah, washed feet. He, the King, rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. He redefined leadership by laying down His life. The cross was His coronation.

The greatest must become the least

• “Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.”
  — Matthew 23:12 (TLV)

To lead is to serve

• “Whoever wants to become great among you shall be your servant.”
  — Matthew 20:26 (TLV)

Power is perfected in weakness

• “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.”
  — 2 Corinthians 12:9 (TLV)

Victory comes through surrender

• “Whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.”
  — Matthew 16:25 (TLV)

The King washes feet

• “If I, your Master and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash each other’s feet.”
  — John 13:14 (TLV)

The cross is the throne

• Jesus’ crucifixion was the moment of His exaltation (Philippians 2:8–9)

Blessed are the poor in spirit

• “For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
  — Matthew 5:3 (TLV)

Strength comes from stillness and trust

• “In returning and rest you will be saved, in quietness and trust will be your strength.”
  — Isaiah 30:15 (TLV)

So instead of constantly asking, “Who has authority?” I started asking deeper questions:

• What does it look like to live out unity?

• How does God use unexpected people to reveal His glory?

• What is authority from God's perspective?

Authority in the Kingdom is always relational. God’s authority is rooted in His identity as Father, not dictator. His authority is never about control—it’s about restoration. When we speak of authority, we’re not just talking about structures. We’re talking about how God governs as a Father over His children.

And when His children are entrusted with authority, it’s never meant to elevate status—it’s meant to reflect His character: righteousness, justice, mercy, and servant-heartedness.

So leadership, in this light, becomes something radically different. It’s not about position. It’s about posture. It’s not about who commands, but who carries the cross.

Through this lens, I see the women who first preached the resurrection, the Samaritan evangelist at the well, and Priscilla teaching Apollos. I see reversal. I see unity. I see Kingdom.

And I see the paradox: that the more we surrender our power, the more we embody His authority.