You want to sit where?

Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus along with her sons. Bowing before him, she asked a favor of him. “What do you want?” he asked. She responded, “Say that these two sons of mine will sit, one on your right hand and one on your left, in your kingdom.” Jesus replied, “You don’t know what you’re asking! Can you drink from the cup that I’m about to drink from?” They said to him, “We can.” He said to them, “You will drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left hand isn’t mine to give. It belongs to those for whom my Father prepared it.” Now when the other ten disciples heard about this, they became angry with the two brothers. But Jesus called them over and said, “You know that those who rule the Gentiles show off their authority over them and their high-ranking officials order them around. But that’s not the way it will be with you. Whoever wants to be great among you will be your servant. Whoever wants to be first among you will be your slave— just as the Human One didn’t come to be served but rather to serve and to give his life to liberate many people.” (Matthew 20:20-28, CEB)

I always found this verse to be interesting. James and John’s mother wants Jesus to let them sit at his right and left side in the coming of the kingdom. Now I will give you they do not have the Nicene Creed yet, but the audacity of the request is mind-blowing. But if we look at the creed it tells us that Jesus ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. Which means who is sitting at Jesus’ left-hand side? The Father, so their mother just asked if one of her sons could sit in the Father’s place.

And rightfully so the other 10 were upset about this, but probably not because they said it out loud, but because they wanted that seat.

We get so hung up on what others have that we don’t that we fail to see what we have that they don’t and realize that we all receive grace but we also all receive differently and that is part of the beauty of life.

We need to serve others if we want to be great and lift up their gifts.

Serve.

Loving People. Loving God.