Day 168 "Desire to serve rather than rule–it is a far better way."

Day 168 Matthew 20:24-28 And when the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers. But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” In this passage, we see the first true conflict between the disciples, and as the case in so many conflicts of our time, the basis is pride or a sense of entitlement. For the entire time that the disciples have been together, their primary function has been to serve both Christ and the people; it is only now when some desire to rule rather than serve that conflict arises. How often do we see this in day-to-day life and even more so in the Church? I would suggest far too often. One thing that makes people stand out in the body of Christ is their willingness to serve. When a true servant comes on scene, they are immediately held in high esteem. And it is more than just a selfish need-based esteem; it is an esteem that is based upon the apparent love this person has for God, their appreciation for His sacrifice, and their willingness to give all they have for Him–which is their true testimony. Without naming names, I can instantly think of at least a dozen people who fall into this category of true servant; while this may sound like a large number, it truly is not–remember, at the time of this writing I was serving in a church of over 4,000 adults. The true shame is not, however, that there are not more; the true shame is how many have forgotten the joy of serving. You see, I can count at least ten times as many people who have come under the spell of being rulers and completely lost track of servanthood. All too often, those who serve are placed in a position of authority, and upon doing so, they stop serving or lose the servant’s heart and, along with it, their passion and appreciation for salvation–and possibly even their zeal for God. Why? Is it because they have arrived or is it because they have become more focused on accomplishing the task as opposed to serving God, or do they so enjoy ruling that serving has long been forgotten? I can honestly say I have seen all three of these scenarios and more come to pass far more often than I care to. Jesus, in His last days of ministry in the flesh, is giving His disciples good and Godly counsel, and here He is warning them of desiring to be rulers, while reminding them that He, after all, was the greatest of all servants, desiring nothing but their, and consequently our, servanthood in the future. After all, is the servant above the master? How about you? Are you willing to serve or do you desire to rule, or maybe you have just forgotten how? If not you, maybe you know someone who has. Encourage them today to return to their first love–it truly is a better way. Daily Prayer: Father, help me to be mindful of servanthood. Protect me, I pray, from falling into the trap of desiring to be or becoming a ruler. May the joy of servanthood warm my heart and keep me from sin. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. "Desire to serve rather than rule–it is a far better way." Pastor Gene Burroughs