Rēad to Read …Again
Daily Reading: Luke 21-22
Luke 22:26
But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.
The cost of greatness is more than most are willing to pay, for according to Jesus, the cost of greatness is servitude. After the “last supper” the disciples began to question among themselves which of them should be the greatest. So much so that there was a strife among them. Jesus put an end to this. It seems that after the Lord explained who the greatest would be, none desired to be the greatest.
Some days earlier the Lord had already told them, But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. (Matthew 23:11). Immediately after the last supper according to John’s Gospel account, Jesus would wash their feet and tell them, If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. (John 13:14-15). Yes, according to our Lord, the cost of being the greatest is much more than most are willing to pay.
Ask yourself? Would you literally wash someone else’s feet? To this question a person may respond, “Preacher, that is an illustration, the Lord does not literally want us to wash feet for Him.” This is a true statement, but take it from a pastor, washing feet would be easy, compared to other humiliations pastors endure. Not only pastors but all who desire to be great for God. The examples that could be given here would seem self-serving and probably not believed by most who read them.
But there it remains, the greatest of all is the servant of all. The world system rejects this thinking. To the natural mind the one with the most money is the greatest, or the one who wins the most championships, or the most powerful, most attractive, or with the most ability. But not in God’s mind. To the Lord, the greatest is the one who serves most.
Jesus went on to give an immediate example in Luke 22:27 For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth. Once, during a fellowship at a church the pastor of that church was emptying an overflowing trash can during the meal. A church member came over and said to that pastor, “I’ve never seen a pastor empty the trash before, you should get someone else to do that.” This was said as the person was putting trash in the bag. But that person did not take up the job, they just deposited their trash and returned to the buffet line. That church member saw the opportunity to wash someone else’s feet, but left it to the pastor, who in that situation was the greatest. In that one small slice of life, the church member could have become great but would not pay the price.
How about doing that, enduring situations like that for 30, 40 or 50 years? Like in a marriage, or parenting, or dare a pastor say, pastoring! Servants, keep being the greatest and remember, payday is coming someday!!!
Dr. William T. Howe
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