"Whoever would be great among you must be your servant"

Scripture: Mark 10:32-45
32 And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them; and they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. And taking the twelve again, he began to tell them what was to happen to him, 33 saying, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and deliver him to the Gentiles; 34 and they will mock him, and spit upon him, and scourge him, and kill him; and after three days he will rise." 35 And James and John, the sons of Zeb'edee, came forward to him, and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you." 36 And he said to them, "What do you want me to do for you?" 37 And they said to him, "Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory." 38 But 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?" 39 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; 40 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." 41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. 42 And Jesus called them to him and said to them, "You know that those who are supposed to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. 43 But it shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Reflection: Greatness is associated with positions of authority and power. The Apostles James and John asked Jesus to share with them his glory by giving them positions of power, one at his right and the other at his left. The Lord's answer was something they did not expect, that greatness is related to servant hood and humility. He gave them the greatest example of this, by the way he lived and died. Jesus, the King of kings, Lord of lords, the only begotten Son of God, came to this world in all humility as a servant of all. He spent his earthly life in service, giving to everyone he encountered what is most important: love, faith, hope, healing, and freedom from their sins.

Our mission in life as given by the Lord is not to be served but to serve and love. We have our God given gifts, and he wants us to use this for the good of others, not only for our own selfish agenda.When we give an account of our lives before God, he would want to see how well you used HIS gifts-- not only for your own good, but more importantly, for the good of others.