Greatness is Serving

This year, my Mother, brother, and I decided to read through the Bible together in one year.

Before we decided to begin reading the Bible in a year, I had experienced the wonderful benefits of filling my mind each day with the truth of God's word, but I have never been sure quite where to read. I always felt a bit 'lost'-I had read a few books through, and was reading a few Psalms each morning, but what I really wanted to start from the beginning and start to see the big picture the Bible so vividly paints.

My Mother and Galen are doing a neat program where you are e-mailed your portion of scripture for each day I decided am doing a program where you start reading a few verses per day in Genesis, Psalms, Proverbs, and Matthew, then continue on from those starting points

This morning one of the passages I happened to be reading was Mark, Chapter 10. What struck me was verses 35-41, where Jesus was speaking to James and John about who would be the greatest in the Kingdom.

³⁵ "Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.”
³⁶ And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?”
³⁷ They said to Him, “Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.”
³⁸ But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?”
³⁹ They said to Him, “We are able.” So Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized;

⁴⁰ but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared.”
⁴¹ And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John.

⁴² But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.

⁴³ Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.

⁴⁴ And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all.

⁴⁵ For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
(emphasis mine)

It's amazing how the things that you will read in your daily scripture portions that speak to the heart of the problems you may have been struggling with. I am constantly amazed at the Lord's faithfulness to me.

Lately, I've been shown, through examples in scripture, and, most painful of all, in the words of one of my siblings-what a really selfish person I can be. How I want to have time for what I want to do, I want things to go according to my plan, I want full and complete recognition and affirmation for of all my good deeds, etc. etc.

And, if I don't get what I want....whatever it may be....well, let's just say it doesn't go over so well.

At all.

;-)

So I then realized my own deep need for a refresher course on the characteristics that we, as Christians, should be exemplifying in our daily lives.

So, starting tomorrow, I'll be posting some on the topic of serving using scripture as our guide.

Until then!

Artwork taken from Art.com