And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” And they said to him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized, but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:35-45 ESV)
Have you ever had some one do something you thought of doing before you? And if you were like the disciples you got upset, not because someone else did what you thought about doing, but you were upset because they did it first.
We live in an era of scarcity. We have been told and think there is only so much money, time, love, coffee, or what ever you want… we have to get our portion so we get as much as we need. We can not wait because we will miss out because someone else will get what belongs to us.
In this passage where James and John ask Jesus to give them what they want we see Jesus turn the world in its head. He invites the disciples and us to re imagine what glory and honor and power are. He shows us here that power and glory and honor are obtained by serving. He came to serve not to be served and in order to follow someone who serves we have to serve. Which means we have to give up our thoughts that there isn’t enough and look out for our neighbors before our selves.
So serve Jesus by thinking of your neighbor before your own needs…
aSacredRebel 