Matthew 20:20-28
20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. 21 And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” 22 Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” 23 He said to them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” 24 And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26 It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Self-centeredness is one of the common characteristics of broken people. We are concerned about our own pleasure and gain, rather than being concerned about how we are affecting those around us. When we are caught up in our sin, we are thinking more about pleasing ourselves than about serving others. Jesus confronts this attitude in his own disciples by turning their understanding upside down. They were accustomed to seeing those in power having extra privileges and pleasures, but Jesus says: "whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve" (verses 26-28). The way to greatness and the way to healing are the same, to give of ourselves and serve others. For by doing so we get out of our preoccupation with selfish pleasure and begin to love others as Jesus loved them.
Lord, help me to serve others.
20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. 21 And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” 22 Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” 23 He said to them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” 24 And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26 It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Self-centeredness is one of the common characteristics of broken people. We are concerned about our own pleasure and gain, rather than being concerned about how we are affecting those around us. When we are caught up in our sin, we are thinking more about pleasing ourselves than about serving others. Jesus confronts this attitude in his own disciples by turning their understanding upside down. They were accustomed to seeing those in power having extra privileges and pleasures, but Jesus says: "whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve" (verses 26-28). The way to greatness and the way to healing are the same, to give of ourselves and serve others. For by doing so we get out of our preoccupation with selfish pleasure and begin to love others as Jesus loved them.
Lord, help me to serve others.