There is a Crack at the Top of the Building – Look at the Ground Floor

Once I heard a story about a tall building that had a crack at the very top. An engineer was called to examine it. When he arrived, the people asked him to go up and check the problem. But the engineer replied, “There’s no need to go up. If there is a crack above, I just need to look at the ground floor to know why.”

When I was in college, our students’ association organised a seminar where we invited a reliable bureaucrat. He was a very simple and humble man. What impressed me most was what happened afterward. When the officer was not around, his driver praised him. A friend of mine explained, “In our state, when a boss is spoken well of by someone who works under him—like a driver, a peon, or a caretaker—then that officer is considered a good person.” To know what a leader is really like at the top, ask those who work under him at the bottom.

This lesson applies to Christian organisations and institutions too. Leaders at the top are often in demand as speakers and resource persons. They may preach about love, grace, compassion, mercy, forgiveness, and humble service. But the real question is—do they truly love and care for the people who work under them: the drivers, the peons, and the caretakers? I have even heard of some who work under Christian leaders struggling deeply, feeling neglected and unvalued. At times, we even come across shocking stories from such workers, who share that they do not feel loved or cared for, even while serving under well-known Christian leaders.

Of course, this does not mean that everyone who works under Christian leaders is always good, or that they are always right. Some may have their own faults and weaknesses. But that does not change the fact that the test of true leadership is how leaders treat those under them. Talking about humility and servant leadership makes little sense if it is not lived out in real life.

In many places, maintaining status, position, and protocol has become the norm, even in Christian circles. We talk much about servant leadership, yet worldly systems are still followed. Respect is often sought and demanded. But true respect cannot be forced—it must be earned through love, humility, and genuine care. When we listen to the people who work under Christian leaders, we often discover that while they show respect outwardly in front of the leaders, inwardly they do not truly respect them.

Recently, I came across a video of a pastor preaching on this point. He said, “Serving those who work under us may seem easy, but the real test is whether we can sit and eat with them at the same table. If Jesus did, we should also do the same.” Many leaders can speak about humility, but in reality, this is where they struggle.

So let us ask ourselves: As a pastor, how do you look at your chowkidar? As a Christian leader, how do you treat your driver? How do you see your caretaker? Do you enjoy giving orders simply because they are under you? Do they respect you for your position, or for your character?

This is the test of true humility. I am not saying there should be no structure or system, but what truly counts is the willingness to serve like Jesus. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve (Mark 10:45). On the last day, Jesus will not say, “Well done Pastor, Reverend, Theologian, Scholar, Preacher, Apostle, Officer, or VIP,” but “Well done, my faithful servant.” So, if you want to know why there is a crack at the top of the building, look at the ground floor.

Liba Hopeson