Everyone can be a servant leader – Cardinal Tagle

Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle yesterday reminded the faithful that they need not hold any position or title in order to truly serve others.

“A real leader is not in position. It’s just a post, even if you don’t hold any position but serve wholeheartedly you are a true leader,” he said during the launch of the book “Servant Leadership in the Light of Faith” in Manila, Monday.

In fact, Tagle said oftentimes it is from simple and ordinary people that one can learn how to be a real servant.

“Sometimes it’s from ordinary people that we learn how it is to serve,” he said.

His Eminence cited his recent encounter with a vendor along Roxas Boulevard as an example.

According to Tagle, he was accompanying a bishop last February 14, Valentine’s Day, when different vendors approached their vehicle along Roxas Boulevard.

Tagle said the driver of their vehicle told the vendors that they are not interested in buying, but one of the vendors, holding a pack of pastries, repeatedly called out the Cardinal’s his name.

The vendor later said she merely wants to hand over the pastries to the Cardinal.

“My companion told me it’s happy to note that even street vendors know their bishop. But I said, I was amazed that a person who needs every centavo to live by is still capable of sharing what he has, not thinking of the self first,” he said.

“That person wont get anything such as a promotion or be popular but shared anyway out of sheer love, sheer goodness. I had my lesson on servanthood on Valentine’s Day from that simple person,” shared Tagle.