October 17 — Greatness Through Service

“It shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you 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 20:26-28

 
 
Our world has many ways of measuring greatness. We often associate it with position, influence, achievement, wealth, recognition, or authority. The greater a person becomes, we may assume, the more people work for that person, listen to that person, or respond to that person’s wishes. Jesus turned that understanding upside down. The setting of His teaching is revealing. The mother of James and John had approached Jesus asking that her sons receive places of special honor in His kingdom. When the other disciples heard about the request, they became indignant. Beneath the disagreement was a very human concern: Who would be greatest? Who would receive the most important position? Who would stand closest to power? Jesus gathered them together and explained that worldly rulers often exercise authority by dominating those beneath them. Then He spoke words that should continually challenge every Christian understanding of power and leadership: “It shall not be this way among you.” The kingdom of God operates according to a different pattern. “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.” Jesus did not condemn leadership or authority. He redefined what they are for. Authority is not primarily an opportunity to elevate ourselves. It is an opportunity to serve. Influence is not something to use for our own advantage. It is something to use for the good of others.
 
Pause and reflect: When I have influence or authority, how do I use it? Most of us exercise some kind of influence. We may be parents, grandparents, teachers, supervisors, committee members, ministry leaders, employers, experienced coworkers, or trusted friends. Even without an official title, our words and choices may carry weight with others. Does our influence make life better for the people around us? Jesus provides the model: “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.” The One with the greatest authority chose the posture of a servant. He used His power to heal rather than harm, to restore rather than diminish, to welcome rather than exclude, and to lift people rather than place Himself above them. This gives us a helpful way to evaluate leadership. A Christlike leader asks not simply, “How can I get people to accomplish what needs to be done?” but also, “How can I help these people flourish?” Leadership becomes less about controlling others and more about creating conditions in which they can use their gifts, grow, contribute, and succeed. Servant leadership also requires listening. People are difficult to serve well if we never hear their experiences or understand their needs. Jesus regularly asked questions and listened to people, even though He knew far more than they did. Those who lead in His name should never become too important to listen. Serving does not mean avoiding difficult decisions or refusing to exercise authority. Jesus could be direct, and He confronted wrongdoing when necessary. Servant leadership is not passive leadership. Sometimes genuinely serving others requires speaking truth, setting boundaries, correcting harmful behavior, or making decisions that are not universally popular. The difference is found in the motive: authority is exercised for the good of people rather than for the elevation of the leader. Jesus then carries the meaning of service to its deepest point: He came “to give His life as a ransom for many.” His leadership ultimately took Him to the cross. Jesus did not simply give instructions from a position of safety. He gave Himself. Most of us will not be asked to make that kind of sacrifice, but every act of genuine service costs us something. It may cost time, convenience, energy, resources, comfort, or recognition. We may have to surrender the need to have our own way. We may have to perform a task we would rather leave to someone else. We may have to share credit rather than receive it. These sacrifices can seem small, but they train our hearts in the way of Christ.
 
Today, consider one area where you have influence. Instead of asking how that position benefits you, ask, “How can I use the influence God has given me to help someone else?” Perhaps you can encourage someone, make room for another person’s gifts, listen to a perspective that is usually overlooked, share credit, offer guidance, or quietly perform a task that makes someone else’s burden lighter. You might pray, “Lord Jesus, teach me to use whatever influence I have as You would use it.”
Jesus does not forbid us from wanting our lives to matter. He simply gives greatness a new definition.
In His kingdom, greatness is not measured by how high we rise above others. It is revealed by how willingly we kneel beside them.
 
 
Heavenly Father,
 
Thank You for Jesus, who showed us a completely different understanding of greatness. Though He possessed all authority, He chose to serve, to heal, to welcome, to restore, and ultimately to give His life for us.
 
Help me to use whatever influence, responsibility, or authority You have entrusted to me for the good of others. Keep me from seeking position merely for recognition or using influence to elevate myself. Give me humility to listen, wisdom to lead, courage to speak truth when necessary, and compassion to consider how my decisions affect other people.
 
Teach me to measure greatness as Jesus did. May I use my life not simply to accomplish things for myself, but to help others flourish and to advance Your loving purposes in the world.
 
In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Check Out My Other Writings

-