Daily Lesson for February 11, 2019

Today’s Daily Lesson comes from Mark chapter 9 verses 33 through 35:

33 Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, ‘What were you arguing about on the way?’ 34But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. 35He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, ‘Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.’

When I read this I have to wonder if we too might not also be shamed along with the disciples should Jesus come and ask us about all the times we had it in our minds or on our lips that we were the greatest, or the best, or the most superior. The urge to be great is so deeply engrained in us as humans that it is almost inescapable. 

The crafty prey upon this urge, just as the Serpent did in the garden. That’s an old, old story; and there are always contemporary versions. 

Jesus did not try to negate the urge to greatness altogether.  But he did turn it on it’s head. He said if we wish to be greatest we must be great in service to one another. That is the greatest one, he said — not the one who rules, but the one who serves. 

Paul said, “Outdo one another in love.”  There are certain things in which we are to try to outdo one another. But we are not to try to outdo others in the way the world does. We are to try to outdo one another in genuine love and in humble service and in the showing of mercy. 

We wish to be great. That’s a genuine human urge and not to be fought against. And the greatest among us is the one who lives to serve and better others.