Matthew 20 The Last Shall be First

I have often used Jesus' famous statement, "The first shall be last, and the last shall be first" at potluck dinners as I stood near the back of the line. Of course, it was tongue-in-cheek. But I suspect that the concept is far more profound than I make it out to be, and it could change my whole worldview if I apply it to myself. Here I go:

"Whoever wants to be a leader (great) among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must become your slave." (20:26,27) I notice a few things about what Jesus said here:

First, He recognizes my ambition! He knows that I have always wanted to be a leader, always wanted to be great, always wanted to be first. He has watched me from childhood and seen my competitiveness. He saw me cheat and lie to get ahead. He watches me fill out my taxes. He has seen the envy that wells up in me when I see powerful people and famous musicians. And, surprisingly, He doesn't tell me to "cut it out!"

Rather, He tells me what to do with my ambition. Channel it into a rush down the ladder instead of up. Focus on being a servant or a slave. The more I want to be a somebody, take that desire and make myself a nobody. Then, Ken, who always needs to win, can "win" at serving others. I can make others' agenda my own. After all, Jesus did. And look where it got Him! Killed! Then risen and seated at the right hand of the Father, with all authority in heaven and on earth given to Him! Can't get any lower, or any higher, all by making the agenda of others His own.

The power pyramid of the Kingdom is upside down, but most people don't see it. A few months ago I looked in the Christian bookstore for books on this concept of servanthood. I found 30 titles using the word LEADERSHIP and NO titles of books about SERVANTHOOD (except one book called "Servant Leadership," and that doesn't really count!). We American Christians are mistaken. We think the church needs more leaders, and most of us in paid ministry seem perfectly willing to fill the role. But Jesus didn't use the word, except to use it to talk about being a servant of all.

The last little detail of His instruction is WHO to serve. He says the one must be "your" servant and "your" slave. It is good to be God's servant, but the way to do that is to be the servant of people. I am called to let myself serve the agendas of other people. Slaves don't set the agenda. They carry out the agendas of others. When I see the way that Ellen serves her family, as well as others in the church, I see that I have a long, long way to go in understanding what this means.

"LORD, let me rush headlong into an uncompromised, unheeding pursuit of service, without another thought of me. Forgive me for the times in recent weeks when I have bemoaned doing the business of others, and when I have been impatient to get around to do my own agenda. My agenda is Yours, and Your agenda is to serve others. So I shall do, in Jesus' name. Amen."
-ker