To Serve
The Kingdom of God operates much differently than the kingdoms of this world. Jesus taught us that those who want to be great in his kingdom have to become servants and slaves to others. It is upside-down from how most of our society operates.
Jesus did not exempt himself from this mandate either. He said in Matthew 20:28 (ESV), “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
If anyone had the right to be served, it was Jesus. He is and always will be supremely worthy of honor. Not just because he is the king and that is how you treat a king, but because he is so honorable, wise, and good that it fitting to recognize him in that way. His worthiness and his perfection draw out the highest forms of praise and honor.
Still, Jesus never modeled a life of self-centered glorification. His disciples never saw Jesus with his head high parading around the countryside looking for attention. They saw him wasting (in their view) his time talking to children, Samaritan women, and beggars.
To the disciples, this behavior was divergent. It was a distraction from their goal of building something great. To Jesus, this was always the mission. He did not come to be served, but to serve. Ultimately he served in the greatest demonstration of humility and love by giving his life as a ransom for many.
Today we have an invitation to reflect on the character of Jesus in this way and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to us.
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