The
Greatest Among You
Will Be Your Servant
Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his
disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, therefore, do
whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do
not practice what they teach. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay
them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a
finger to move them. They do all their deeds to be seen by others; for they
make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long. They love to have the
place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues, and to be
greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have people call them rabbi.
But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all
students. And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father – the
one in heaven. Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have on
instructor, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. All who
exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be
exalted.
Matthew
23:1-12
Have you ever watched a dance
competition? Do you wonder if behind the perfect suits and dresses, they sweat
just like you and I? Do you wonder if they have arguments about real life
situations or just about leading and following? That is probably the way it was
in ancient times with the rabbis. They dressed to the nines, got to eat in the
best places, but behind the scenes they were sinful. And they did not have
Jesus, as we do.
What are we like when no one is
watching? Jesus rebuked those who cared about how they looked in public rather
than how they were seen by God. God’s focus is on what we are like inside. His
desire is for us to look like His Son.
We are not in a competition with other
Christians. God will never ask us to compete in something that is only on the
surface. He measures us by the perfect standard of His Son. And in love, He
provides the righteousness we need so that we can be blameless before Him.
Living for
God’s approval
is better than
living for man’s applause.
Our
Daily Bread –