Jesus was a man who lived on the earth for not more than 33 years. His ministry lasted a mere 3 years, and at the end of His life, His followers ran and hid because they believed that He had failed. They were expecting a political messiah, and instead they received a suffering servant. It was only after His resurrection that they truly understood that He was God incarnate. His life was short but His impact is greater than any other person in history.
What lesson in love does Jesus leave with us? If we examine His life and teachings, we can see that true love is not found by safeguarding our own personal freedom of choice and happiness. It is not found in respecting the personal choices of others, nor is it found by insisting I put myself first. In fact, it is just the opposite. The Bible makes very ardent arguments that true love does not ever mean putting myself first. True love is shown in the willingness to be a servant and servant leader both in action and heart. Just as Jesus came to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many, we show true love by serving and putting others before ourselves.
Our world does not honour this. Our culture and the times we live in does not define true love as servant leadership because it would argue that we have more to offer; that our own personal happiness is what is most important. And yet this is really just a misunderstanding of value and worth. We don’t find true love in being a servant to all because we have nothing to offer or because we aren’t valuable enough to be the ‘big dog.’ It is precisely because we are of such high value and worth that we are able to step back and put others before ourselves. The Sadducees and the Pharisees were the religious leaders of Jesus’ day. They asked Him this question in Matthew 22:39ff: Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law? [Bible] Jesus replied, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’
We are to first love God. We are to secondly love our neighbour. And we are to love them as we love ourselves. Our worth and value in God’s determination frees us to be servant leaders to others.
Jesus called them [the disciples] together and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first 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 doesn’t see it this way. Our world would say we have only ‘made it’ when we have climbed the ladder high enough that we are surrounded by others whose purpose is to be at our beck and call. But not so God. His Word teaches us that love is found in a very unexpected place. It is found in the privilege of not being first but last; it is found in the action not of being served but serving. It is found by modeling our lives after His. Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.
Our song for today is Give Me Your Eyes by Brandon Heath.
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