“If anyone would be first he must be last and servant of all”
Mark 9:35
It was Jesus who was to be first and in order to do that he became, God’s son became the world’s servant. He has washed us and clothed us and fed us and quenched our thirst. And now we are his servants, following the pattern of Jesus, striving to be like him and pursue God’s glory above all else.
It kind of makes you feel proud doesn’t it..? But are you proud in yourself or boasting in the Lord? There’s always a danger that we become puffed up with self importance, and like the disciples get carried away with who we are or who we could be rather than focusing on who Jesus is.
The Son of God declares that his way lies in devoting ourselves to the care of the weakest and lowest of his flock. He says that you cannot help them until you open your hearts and arms to them.
There is a danger that we can become proud in the work that we do. True greatness lies in humility. Not self-loathing or humiliation which in their own ways are self-centred, but unselfishness and self-forgetfulness.
And who was more humble that Jesus himself? Jesus constantly sought to work for the Glory of his father but his followers were still working for their own glory but the inevitable result of our own pride; seeking to increase our own greatness, is the depreciation of God.
When we try to be something we’re not, when we try to take the place that is meant for another we start to replace Jesus at the head with ourselves. And as much as we try to keep following faithfully ultimately we’re a poor replacement.
Instead of trying to be Jesus we should simply show him to people, show them who is is and what he did and taught.
To reduce ourselves, even, in Jesus name, to give another the place of honour and to let God take the glory in everything we do; that is what it means to serve, that is what it means to do everything as if we do it to the Lord and not for our own ends.
You can’t be Jesus, there is and could only ever be one Jesus. And the world only needs one. But you can live for him, you can change your life to revolve around Christ at the centre.
This Broken World 