My apologies to regular readers of this devotional blog. In the upheaval of moving and getting set up in the new house, I have neglected my blog, and my devotional reading. I could certainly use your prayers as I settle into new routines. Spiritual nutrition is essential. Anyway, quick thought for today.
Observation: James and John, two of Jesus' closest associates, want to be right at Jesus' side when he is crowned as a Messianic king, just like his ancestor David. It's clear they still don't get what Jesus is trying to do. Jesus says they will indeed be going through a similar ordeal to what Jesus goes through. If they want to be at his side, they will have to face suffering like his. Spoiler alert: all of Jesus' disciples did, in fact, face similar persecution and rejection to that of their Lord.
Application: I think people tend to look up to the sort of leader who's "not afraid to get their hands dirty." The kind of leader who will plunge toilets, vacuum the floor, help with the dishes after everyone else has taken off. When people say they want their pastors to be "servant leaders", this may be the kind of service they're thinking of. A leader who's not "too good" for any church task that may come up. A leader who's first to show up and last to leave. A leader who will burn the midnight oil after everyone else is sleeping comfortably, no matter what it does to their own family or relationship with their Lord. A leader who does it all, so no one else has to.
But that's not exactly what a servant leader is. Right before Jesus talks about a leader being a "servant," he lays it out loud and clear that James and John will end up having to receive the same baptism, and drink from the same cup, as Jesus. in other words, Jesus is leading the disciples down a path of struggle. Only he can go first, but he expects them to follow after. Only Jesus can save us by dying on the cross. But in doing so, he is modeling a self-giving love for every disciple.
I am not in any way, shape or form saying we have to "earn" our salvation by living like Jesus. Only God saves, and it's only by God's grace using our faith. What I am saying is this: I believe almost everything Jesus did in his public life, he hoped and expected his own disciples to do in some way. Every story he told, he told to be repeated. Every feeding, every healing, it was all done publicly. Maybe it's somewhat heretical, but I'll even take this as far as the Last Supper, when Jesus said "This is my body, which is for you; do this for the remembrance of me." I do think he meant his disciples to eat the bread in his memory, but I also think that he meant for them to offer themselves for others in his memory. "Do this, this thing I am about to do, in my memory."
According to Jesus, servant leadership isn't doing everything so others can do nothing. Servant leadership is being the first to do something hard, in such a way that others will follow.
Prayer: Jesus, thank you for leading us. Thank you for offering yourself up for our sin. Form my life in your image. Help me to go where others won't, trusting you are with me, and by the power of your Spirit, others will follow. Amen.
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