In these verses, Jesus and His disciples are traveling and Jesus is teaching. Along their journey, the disciples argue about who is the greatest among them. Jesus’ response, in verse 35, is “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last…” and He goes on to instruct them that anyone welcoming a child (least in order of social status) in His name, also welcomes the One who sent Him. To think about putting others first, to put oneself last in importance, is an upside down way of thinking for the disciples. And it seems no less difficult for us to apply to our lives today. We’re taught from childhood to strive to be the best, that being competitive and ‘winning’ is a good thing. It’s not easy to find a balance; but as followers of Christ, we should practice putting our own needs aside for a while. It’s only then that we can truly open our hearts and see the needs of others.
Our precious heavenly Father, show us how to find a balance in this fast-paced, competitive world. A balance where we can feel good about accomplishments which come from hard work and discipline, while resisting the temptation to always focus on ourselves. Help us to live according to your word, remembering that “to be first” we must “be the very last.” Amen.
This scripture - as do many more - makes me think of our beloved Ken Diehm. He was the epitome of being humble and serving others before himself. I pray that our church builds on this wonderful legacy by putting aside our needs and strive to reach out to change the world! I praise God for the privlege of knowing Ken and learning from him!
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