Not to be Served, but to Serve

"He must become greater, I must become less." John 3:30

"But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first." Matthew 19:30

"Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him. "What is it you want?" he asked. She said, "Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom." You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said to them. "Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?" "We can," they answered. Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father." When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave-- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Matthew 20:20-28

I've been thinking and praying a lot regarding serving lately. It's come up countless times through conversations, scripture I've been reading, and opportunities I have. What I've been realizing is a simple truth but one so important that I neglect it at times.

It's easy for me to serve those whom I love, those closest to me in my life and most important. It is through the love I have for them that is the source of the desire to give my all for them and do what I can.

And there are others that when opportunities come to serve them, I feel more a sense of obligation to do so, rather than the same joy that I feel with those closest to me. I sometimes don't take those opportunities I have to serve them; other times I do, but with an attitude of heart that can be described as a mix between prideful and begrudging.

What is wrong in this is that Jesus must become greater and I must become less. When I truly see others and life through His eyes all the time, then my heart will be changed for those around me, reverberating with a love that is only of the Creator God. Out of that, how can I not help but be compelled to serve and give my all to those around me?

Our culture says that we should only look to other's interests when we can benefit from them in return. As Christians, we are to be radically different from the culture's crooked ideals. Jesus came not to be served, but to serve. If the One most High would humble Himself in that way, we have no reason not to do so ourselves. Why do we not see more people on their knees washing feet, taking on the lowly servant position? We do not work for a status in this world...our utmost desire should be to glorify our Savior, and we do this by denying ourselves and our own selfish nature and look around, outside of ourselves. The opportunities are countless to serve. But is our love great enough to compel us to do so?

He must become greater, I must become less. Through this...it is possible, if we turn our hearts and are willing to let His love be manifested in us in a way we could never do ourselves.

Through this simple truth I believe and pray that the eyes of the world around us will be changed when they see Christians acting in the manner of the One whose name they bear, the One whose truths they preach, and the One whose love they claim to have and share.

Are we willing?