May 18th - Reflection

Matthew 20:17-28 (NRSV)
Jesus came to serve
While Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside by themselves, and said to them on the way, "See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death; then they will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified; and on the third day he will be raised."

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, and kneeling before him, she asked a favor of him. And he said to her, "What do you want?" She said to him, "Declare that these two sons of mine will sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom." But Jesus answered, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?" They said to him, "We are able." He said to them, "You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left, this is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."

When the ten heard it, they were angry with the two brothers. But Jesus called them to him and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. It will not be so among you; but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave; just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many."
Reflection
Jesus teaches and demonstrates with his life  threefold qualities we are to lead as his disciples. Jesus shows us humility, suffering servant hood, and Jesus own greatness in his ability to sacrifice himself for our salvation.

Greatness does not come out of powerful positions. Powerful positions are a result of true greatness. Jesus shows true greatness in his willingness to humble himself and serve life in the creation of God by sacrificing himself for our own salvation. You and I, and any other, could never have saved ourselves. We most likely would approach salvation in the inappropriate manner of conquering others in order to sustain our own place. But Jesus turned this entire thinking upside down in history forever.

Jesus gave his life to give us life. Jesus humbly served what he created out of a love that went far beyond any act  human power could expel. But in this act of Jesus, both God and man, he changed the value system of all disciples to one of humility, service and sacrifice out of love for another.

Serve as the slave in humility and grace and love. Give your life to the Savior and live. Thanks be to God!

Prayer
Lord, I give you thanks for your honest talk when I need it the most. Help me and teach me to live the values you would have your disciples live here...today...tomorrow...and forever. --- Amen