Matthew 20:27 KJV

And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:

We live in a society where everyone wants to be known, popular, famous, and important. Even in the church, it is about “our” church. Who has the nicest facilities? Who has the most people? Who has the biggest offerings? Who has the best children’s ministry? The list goes on and on. Is this what it’s really about? Is it about being the best or at least being better than others? Absolutely not! 

It is true that we should do everything to the best of our ability, especially those things we do for God (Colossians 3:23)! It is also true that God’s plan for your promotion in the body of Christ has nothing to do with you clawing your way to the top. This is an area that we need much work in the body of Christ as a whole.

We are called to be selfless, not selfish. We are called to be servants, not served. Pride and selfishness are the nature of satan, while humility is the nature of Jesus. The word selfishness in the Webster’s Dictionary means “a concern for one’s own welfare or advantage at the expense of or in disregard of others.” To be selfish doesn’t mean that you don’t care about yourself or your family, but it becomes selfishness when it becomes only about yourself or your family. The “me first” that we see so often in the world and the church today directly contradicts the gospel plan for our lives.

In Matthew chapter 20, James and John’s mother had a request for Jesus. She asked Jesus to let her two sons sit on his right and left hand in the kingdom. Notice who she was concerned with. She wanted the high place for hers, with no concern for anyone else. This is selfishness. Our scripture for today was a part of Jesus’ response. Matthew 20:27 says, “And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant.” A servant is one who gives himself wholly to another’s will. The greatest example would be Jesus. Jesus gave himself fully to the will of the Father. Jesus is our example!

So, how would you go about becoming great in the kingdom of God? You would look for somewhere to serve! Actually, you would look to become a servant everywhere you went! The heart of Jesus is the heart of a servant! I desire to serve at church, at home, at work, and everywhere I go. As I choose to obey God’s plan and serve everywhere I go, God will promote me in due time (1 Peter 5:6).