Live to serve, not to be served

‘This, however, is not the way it shall be among you. If one of you wants to be great, you must be the servant of the rest; and if one of you wants to be first, you must be the slave of the others — like the Son of Man, who did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life to redeem many people.’ (verses 26-28)

Read Matthew 20:20-28

People’s attitudes today are not so different from what they were in the time of Jesus. Our culture values power, prestige and position, not servanthood. The idea of serving others is almost a foreign concept. This may not simply be a reflection of our culture and times but may indicate something deeper in our make-up as human beings. We find it more appealing to feel that others are serving us, that we are somehow at the top.

What Jesus says about serving others can be a comfort and encouragement for you, especially if you are feeling resentful that you are doing more for others than they are doing for you. When you care for others and serve them, you are learning the lesson that God wants to teach you. You are following the pattern of what Jesus did for you. The model he provides is the one that works best for all humankind. Living in a self-centred way is destructive. Being a servant to others is life-giving and healing.

Lord, help me to live to serve not to be served. Amen.

Devotion by Sonia Siebenhausen from “Refreshment for each day” (LCA, Openbook Publishers, 2003)

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