Matthew 20:26-28

[Jesus said:] “Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Parents always want the best for their children, so we shouldn’t be too surprised that James and John’s mother came to Jesus and asked for them to have the best seats in the new kingdom. Jesus pointed out that she had got it all wrong. In the kingdom of God, the goal is to be the last not the first, and to be a servant rather than a master. And, incredibly, Jesus himself, who had every right to be generously served, came to be a servant.

Let’s be honest. We all love to be served. We enjoy the thought of being in a beautiful hotel where our needs are perfectly met and where we have absolutely no work to do. Such experiences are good, but the way of life to which Jesus calls us is the exact opposite. He calls us to pour out our lives for others as he did. In every church and community, there are innumerable volunteer roles that need to be filled. Our society would not operate without hundreds of thousands of willing volunteers.

Volunteering can sound at times like a big burden, but Jesus is offering us a completely different perspective. He presents service as the way to find purpose and fulfilment. That is not to say that serving others is always easy – far from it. It is often costly and difficult, but through pouring ourselves out for others, we find true fulfilment and walk in the footsteps of Jesus.

Question

In what ways have you found fulfilment in your service?

Prayer

Lord God, thank you that Jesus came to be a servant. Thank you for every opportunity you give me for serving those around me. Amen