It’s hard for us not to want to know our place. Who is ahead of me? Who is behind me? How close am I to being the greatest? What can I do to be even greater?
Even the apostles of Jesus asked these questions. Jesus gives his disciples answers they did not expect in this Sunday’s gospel. The disciples had been arguing among themselves about which of them is the greatest. Jesus simply tells them that “whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all”. For Jesus greatness refers to being a servant.
How different that is from the common concept that the greatest is the one with the most servants! Jesus calls all who would follow him to be servants. Jesus himself shows his greatness by going to the cross to serve the needs of all people. God’s love is most clearly shown when God’s people serve the needs of others rather than themselves.
Thanks be to God.
Pastor Bill