Welcome to Tuesday’s podcast.

Our reading today is Matthew 20:20-34 but today I’ll focus on verse 26-28:

“Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave — just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

REFLECTION:

One of my early ministry jobs was working with students in Central London.

One of the job requirements was to set up a café for after the evening service by myself.

I would lay out the chairs; bean bags; set up the obligatory fairy lights and sort the coffees and drinks. I generally did this by myself every Sunday during term time.

I’d be lying that I was filled with joy as I did this aspect of the job. If I’m honest I was filled with frustration. ‘Why am I doing this?’ I should be putting my time to better use. I really began to resent it. ‘If only people saw what I’m doing’ – ‘no one is helping me…’ I felt pretty sorry for my-self. In truth, I thought the actual setting up of this café was beneath me. Of course I would have never admitted that. Ironically I’m sure I would have talked a good game about serving other- but truthfully I did it begrudgingly. Even though I was a Christian and a young leader in the church – what overflowed from my heart during that hour on those Sunday afternoons serving wasn’t gratitude or thanksgiving quite the opposite.

So why is serving such a big deal & why is it sometimes hard to do?

In today’s verses 20-28 we see a conversation with Jesus and Salome (the mother of the sons of Zebedee) who requests that her sons (Jesus’ cousins) may have a place of honour (known as the right hand) with Jesus in the future.

This brief conversation is so illuminating.

Salome’s question reveals her misunderstanding of Jesus’ mission: She’s thinking that he’s like some big shot military general about to overthrow the Romans and liberate God’s people – with power, force and might. She wants her sons to have a secure future – who wouldn’t – and make sure that in the new world order they will have safe and secure jobs with good promotion prospects.

Jesus’ reply reveals his view of power in the kingdom – that true power is when we become servants. This is why being a servant is such a big deal – it’s central to Jesus’ mission and calling. So he talks of ‘cup’ in the Bible that generally refers to destiny – which is liberating people through becoming a servant.

He’s saying to Salome’s sons – his cousins – you want to follow me into my destiny (liberating) then you must become servants – you must take the posture of the servant – the complete opposite of the power seen by so many others.

Serving can be hard to do because it’s so easy to have mixed motivation.

Ask anyone who works in the care profession. Serving can be tiring. Often those industries have a big burnout and people talk of a ‘care fatigue’ – when you are constantly giving out with little reward.

If I go back to my story at the beginning – the reason I found serving so hard was that heart wasn’t right. I took my identity – my self worth from what I actually did and what others thought of me. I ‘served’, kind of, begrudgingly in the hope that someone would say ‘well done Tom – what an awesome servant you are…’ – truthfully I was serving myself.

Getting our hearts right means this we learn afresh what the American Pastor Bill Johnson says is this: “royalty is my identity, servant hood is my assignment…’.

Maybe today you’re at home all day. You’re changing nappies and feeding your child. Perhaps you’re heading to a hospital or GP surgery to do a shift. Perhaps you’re looking after an elderly relative or you’re standing up in front your Y9’s teaching maths or maybe you’re working a job you don’t like to pay the bills.

Today, know that you are loved beyond measure.