The One Who Serves

Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest. And He said to them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called ‘benefactors’. But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves. For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves.  

Luke 22:24-27 

Christ chose His role. His role fulfilled His overarching purpose. His purpose was ‘to seek and to save that which was lost.’ Had the planning of salvation been left to us, we would have perhaps organized it quite differently. The savior would have presented himself as a mighty conqueror. Those who followed him would become rulers. The oppressors he overcame would have been ground into powder. This is the kind of Messiah the Jewish religionists were expecting. They did not expect a humble construction worker who consorted with the lower socio-economic members of society, whose morals were, at best, questionable. Christ proved His greatness by His service to these very people. When the disciples fell to arguing among themselves as to who would be the greatest, He pointed them in an entirely different direction. He articulated His role in these few words, ‘Yet I am among you as the One who serves.’ Here is the heart and soul of real leadership. Here is our greatest Leader. 

Our Gracious Master and our God, 
we rejoice in the path You have laid out for us. 
We praise You that in that path, 
we have the privilege to follow you.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning