Thinking As A Servant

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF MARK

THINKING AS A SERVANT

Mark 10:41-45

41 When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. 42 Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." 

NIV

It is clear the disciple were thinking like people, always concerned about who is going to get ahead of each other. Just because James and John asked to sit on the right and left of Jesus when he came into his glory they were upset, maybe because they didn’t get to ask him first because those two bet them to the punch. It seems that our attitudes have not changed much. Most people today still look at things the same way, always concerned about how far up the latter they can get. Even in the church it seems at times that some believers feel more important due to the position of leadership they are in. Some feel important because they are Elders, or Deacons, or on the board, or teach a class or run some kind of other “ministry”. It might seem that some feel their importance based on how many people in the church know them and respect them as being spiritual, or knowledgeable in the Word. But Jesus debunks all that. If any of us care about being great, and it must be so, because Jesus bases his statement on that, we must become a servant. It is difficult to be a servant if we have never been treated like a servant as we really do not know how to feel as a servant feels. Rather than being concerned about self, a servant’s only function is to wait hand and foot upon the master. A slave has it even worse, as his life is absolutely not his own, as he is but property to be used exclusively for the benefit of the master. In fact the master has the authority over the life and death of his slave. Do we really consider ourselves as servants or slaves to everyone else? It would appear we might still be thinking about ourselves way more than others. When we get our feelings hurt we are not thinking like a servant or slave. When we become upset about what someone has done or not done that affects our life, we are not thinking like a servant or a slave. When we get jealous, envious or greedy we are not thinking as a servant or a slave. When we have unforgiveness we are not thinking like a servant or a slave. There is much to learn in this statement of Jesus, about being last in order to be first. There is also much to learn about the fact that if we are going to follow Jesus, if we what to be like Jesus, then we must come to grips with the simply fact, that our only purpose is to serve. Yes we serve our God, we serve his kingdom, and we accept his calling and serve area he has called us to. Yes we serve, but do we do it in the attitude of a servant or slave? And do we serve the others in the body of Christ with that attitude, if fact Jesus said we must be servants or slaves to all. Would that all include non-believers as well? It appears Jesus gave his life for the whole world, not just for his disciples. So how do we response to this? What should be our attitude? We should really think as a servant.