“The greatest among you will be your servant.”
Jesus makes this statement after condemning the hypocrisy of the religious leaders of the day. The rest of the chapter discusses how dangerous it is to be a pretender in the house of God.
Does that concern you?... It does me.
When Christ speaks to sinners, He tells them to repent, change their lives, and follow Him. But in this chapter Jesus delivers a searing reprimand to people who look a lot like me. People who go to the temple often and speak as though they know God.
I don’t want to be a man who needs reprimanding, and verse 11 is the litmus test of my authenticity… It comes down to whether or not I am a servant.
This dovetails with 1st Corinthians which declares that the value of what I do is determined by my motives. When I speak, do I speak because I love spreading the gospel… or do I desire the spotlight? Do I write this blog to help others, or to get comments and clicks?
Self-centeredness is a slippery slope, and Jesus says it is critical not to slide down it. Take a hard look in the mirror this morning: What motivates what you will do today?…
Motivation can be the difference between an offering and an abomination. The difference in giving a drink to a thirsty child because you love them… or doing it because people are watching, cannot be overstated. One is an act of worship, the other self-promotion.
Being a servant is not a complicated theological concept… you can’t say you don’t understand what Jesus means … He is telling you to love others – and do something about it – or quit calling yourself His follower. If you think that sounds harsh, read what Jesus says in the rest of this chapter. He is not recruiting disciples. He is outlining the cost to be one.
The first commandment is to have no other god… and that includes yourself. You will either seek to be served or seek to serve others.
What’s inside your heart will come out when jostled. What will splash on those around you today? A self-centeredness that demands to be served and recognized… or a love for others that will make you a servant?
“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?” – MLK, Jr.
No comments:
Post a Comment