The relationship between true greatness and humility

This is an amazing departure from the customs of the day. The idea that a leader’s highest virtue is humility was certainly out of the norm for the potentates of the ancient world.  Leaders were proud, magnificent, distinguished by their dress, appearance, and regal manner. They built temples in their own honor. They had triumphant inscriptions engraved for posterity. Their role was not to serve but to be served. Everyone else was expected to be humble, not they. Humility and majesty could not coexist.

SLIDE 15: MENORAH LEADERSHIP
The teachings of Judaism and later of the Messiah turn the concept of leadership on its head. Leaders were to be servants of the people. The normal idea of leadership could be viewed as a pyramid, wide at the base and narrow at the top. Lots of common people were holding up the trappings of the few elite. The menorah is a picture of Godly leadership, wide at the top and narrow at the base, as if the leaders were to be caring for and serving the people.