Served or Serve

 

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK

SERVED OR SERVE

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

Indignation may well be akin to being prideful or thinking of oneself as better than those who one’s considered offensive by their actions. The Chief priests were indignant when the people were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David” about Jesus when he was healing people in the temple. Their pride was at stake, they felt they should be the ones to be praised, being the high priests of the temple of God. What a sad thing to feel indignant over another’s actions, for, in essence, the disciples were allowing someone else to control their emotions, their feelings, but even worse was the reason for their feeling that way, perhaps thinking they were better than James and John. They would have never asked such a request, even though they may have desired such a position. Jesus makes it clear that rank is not to be intended to be used as an authority, but rather to be used to serve. Jesus, who has the ultimate authority over all things, did not come to be served as some king, surrounding himself with servants, but rather he came to be the servant, to give his life so that we might have life. This is how we need to approach life in general, more even more specifically within the body of Christ. Again, within the framework of denominationalism, we have established all sorts of titles to bestow upon various people. We need to be careful not to misuse titles to think more highly of ourselves than we should, but rather see them as places of service. Just as Jesus makes it clear, the world has given itself over to self-gratification. Those who have either gained an advanced degree or great wealth or enter the political arena, seem to appear to exercise their authority over others, all while saying they are but public servants. As believers, we should truly serve one another. The purpose of any of our actions should be for the benefit of others. However, what is somewhat troubling is that Jesus seems to indicate that someone or some are going to be great among us and someone or some are going to be first. Of course, they would have to truly first be slaves to all. However, within the Greek, those who will become great among us will be our minister, but technically a deacon, from the Greek word diakonos. While whosoever is the chief, the place of foremost importance, shall be the slave. Yet it still comes down to the principle that we should not come to church, or to the body of Christ to be served, but to serve.