A Servant’s Heart
Posted on Oct 16, 2024 by Shari Van Baale
At the end of this Sunday’s Gospel reading, Jesus reiterates what he said at the end of last week’s Gospel in Mark 10:31, “But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”
James and John come before Jesus with an arrogant request, asking to be seated at his right and left. They want to be closest to him.
Instead of granting their request, Jesus repeats what he said in the prior passage, “But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:43-45)
James and John just don’t get it. They want to reserve the “best seats,” not realizing who makes the decision about who takes the seats of honor in heaven or how the decision is made.
Jesus came to us not only as a king, but a servant. We must also take on the mentality of a slave and put the needs of others before our own.
According to thebiblesays.com, “To be great in God's kingdom is to serve people and put their needs first. Servants and slaves are the last to have their needs met. It was a servant and slave's job to meet the needs of their rulers first. Only after all the needs of their rulers were met, could they then focus on meeting their own needs. Jesus was teaching His disciples to adopt the mentality and outlook of a slave in their interactions with everyone, not just those in authority over them. And He said that if they acted in this way then they would become great in His kingdom.”
As servants of Christ, we must take on a servant’s heart, serving and loving others and putting their needs before our own.
Jesus exemplified the true example of a servant. We can follow his lead and be more like him.
Shari Van Baale
Salem Communications Coordinator