It’s intriguing how God has instilled in us a drive to excel and compete. However, this drive needs to be directed towards good. The disciples, fresh from performing miracles, were feeling their oats, perhaps envisioning themselves in high positions in what they thought would be a political kingdom established by Jesus. We even see later that the mother of James and John lobbied for her sons to have the top spots in this perceived new order.
But they were off the mark. They hadn’t grasped the nature of Jesus’ kingdom, which wasn’t about dominion and control but about service and humility.
Mark 9:33-37 and its parallel in Luke 9:46-48 illustrate this:
46 An argument arose among them as to which of them was the greatest. 47 But Jesus, knowing the reasoning of their hearts, took a child and put him by his side 48 and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For he who is least among you all is the one who is great.”
A child – no power, no strength, no influence, no position. Jesus says, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me.” The kingdom Jesus speaks of values the least. There’s no personal gain in welcoming a child; it’s not about advancing oneself but about serving others for the sake of God. Our aim should be to please Him, not to secure a place at a power table. God loves and serves all, and so should we.
Jesus caps his lesson with, “For he who is least among you all is the one who is great.”
If you seek greatness, serve the least. Don’t strategize for power or position. Instead, love, serve, and welcome those who can offer you nothing in return. These are the ones God cherishes, and He wishes to show His love through you. Remember, God evaluates, and His standards are humility, servanthood, and unconditional love for all, especially the very least.
