To serve . . . or be served

"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45 NKJV).

Our society is filled with a desire to be served and catered to. We love to go to places where our desires and wants are fulfilled by others. How many times have you visited an elegant restaurant because of, not just the food, how they cater to you? I love traveling on a cruise ship because I can eat almost anything I want 24/7. My cabin is cleaned each day and my bed is “turned down” each evening. We believe if we are paying enough money, we should receive the best service from others. Do we, however, seek to serve other people with the same energy we seek for others to serve us?

In the chapter Jesus is explaining to His disciples how to be considered the greatest in the Kingdom. He first tells them that they must humble themselves and become a servant to others. He went further in the text to explain how He, God in the flesh, came to be a servant and not to be served. You see, the Kingdom of God tends to be opposite of the world. God commands us to serve others while the earth employs more servants. The Kingdom of God wants us to become humble while the kingdom of the world encourages arrogance and boastfulness. Which kingdom will you follow? Will you serve or be served?

To serve may be uncomfortable and require sacrifice but the reward is eternal.