Servant 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 10:45) 

What does it take to be great? To sit at the top of the corporate ladder? To be renowned in Raymond? Honored in Hinds County? The answer is not complicated; in fact, Jesus boils it down to two options. You can either “lord over others” or “serve others.” You may exalt yourself, or you may exalt others. You may be served, or you may serve. These two options are more opposed than fire and water, but only one of them belongs to the kingdom of heaven. Which one do you belong to? 

If we read back to Mark 10:35 and following, James and John desire greatness in the form of position - “one at [Christ’s] right hand and one at [Christ’s] left, in your glory.” These are the types who transform positions of serving others to positions of serving self. Promotions, politics, and the pecking order at church serve only to further recognition and renown. These are easy to pick out, for they only do the job once they get the title. Even then, they barely do the job. Also, Jesus notes those whose aim is not just position, but power – “rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.” Be it in official contexts or a simple group of friends, this is the person who pushes their plans and their ideas because they are “the best ideas.” We describe them as “controlling,” “pushy,” or “opinionated;” and their motto is, “My way or the highway.” Are either of these greatness? To exalt yourself above others? To be at the top, surrounded by your “base” or your “supporters”? Let me remind you that the top of the mount is a cold, barren place. 

Jesus proposes another way – service. There was not a sheep in all the world He would disdain to feed, nor a deed too lowly He wouldn’t stoop to accomplish. The leper, the outcast, the sinner all benefited from His service, and what did He receive in return? Nothing. Rather, He served until it killed Him. He did not glorify Himself, but entrusted His Father to do so (John 8:54). And yet, Hebrews describes His life as one of joy. The man on the mountaintop is also cold, barren, and fearful. He spends all his time looking to see who will pull him down. But the valley, the valley is a deep green, full of life. Instead of looking down to see who wants to take your spot, you are always looking up to see who you can lift. We should not be surprised that Jesus’ statement here became the springboard for the spread of Christianity, that His one seed falling to the ground became life for many. 

What of you? Let me provide a simple diagnostic question. Is there any service you wouldn’t perform, and is there any person who wouldn’t serve? If you can name one, read again. “Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.”