Greatness: Matthew 14-20Sample

If you could have any title in the world, what would it be? Would you want to be a royal, a captain, a principal, a CEO, maybe even a prime minister?

When I directed a play at school as a teacher, we came in on Saturdays to rehearse. Knowing the principal was not in, I parked in his designated spot. After all, it was closest to the hall and meant less walking with all I had to carry. I remember thinking I would love to be the principal and have this spot rather than parking so far from my staffroom every day.

We tend to look at the positives of these high positions. But when you speak to people in these roles, you are likely to hear about the hours of work that nobody sees, the complaints and criticisms they have to deal with, or the difficult decisions they have to make. Their positions are stressful and costly. It is then that we realise that the title, the parking spot, the perks come at a cost.

This is the case when James and John seek to sit beside Jesus in glory. They see the title, the preferred space, but they don’t see the agony that it takes to get there. Even with Jesus talking about His upcoming suffering and death, they miss the point. Jesus tells them that they will suffer, but even then, the honour doesn’t belong to them.

Following Jesus is not about titles and privilege. Jesus says, “But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:26–28, ESV).

If we are to follow Him, we must take up our cross and be a servant to others.

Today, ponder this: Have you ever wished to have the perks of those in authority? Bearing a heavy load might come with some perks or titles, but there is always a cost. How can we support those above us and pray for them? Have you ever acted like James and John, seeking a title but not counting the cost? How can we change our attitude to one of giving it all for Jesus without any thought of reward?