Servanthood Over Self-Interest
Mark 10:43-45 But it should not be that way with you. Whoever wants to be your leader must be your servant. Whoever wants to be first must serve the rest of you like a slave. Follow my example: Even the Son of Man did not come for people to serve him. He came to serve others and to give his life to save many people.”
If you’re ever going to be successful at what you do, you need to embrace efficiency – keep moving, stay focused, don’t get sidetracked. But love is rarely efficient. It often arrives disguised as an interruption.
In 1996, Tokyo train commuter Shizuo Tsuji, was running late for work when he noticed an elderly woman collapse at a busy intersection. Dozens of people had hurried past. But Tsuji stopped, called for help, and waited beside her until an ambulance came.
He arrived at work two hours late – and was fired. Months later, the woman’s family tracked him down and offered him a position in their restaurant. That small, inconvenient act became the start of his life’s calling to train young chefs in service and honour.
That’s what servanthood looks like – love expressed through inconvenience. Speaking about prideful leadership, Jesus said this:
Mark 10:43-45 But it should not be that way with you. Whoever wants to be your leader must be your servant. Whoever wants to be first must serve the rest of you like a slave. Follow my example: Even the Son of Man did not come for people to serve him. He came to serve others and to give his life to save many people.
Servanthood doesn’t seek a return. It gives time, energy, and compassion to those who can’t repay. It chooses people over plans.
So tomorrow, when your schedule’s choc-a-block full and someone needs your time – stop. Allow compassion to interrupt you. It may seem small, but heaven takes note.
Because greatness in God’s kingdom isn’t measured by what you achieve, but by whom you serve. And when you bend low to lift another up, you’ll find yourself standing exactly where Jesus stood.
That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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