The greatest among you must be your servant. Matthew 23:11 NABRE
Jesus is teaching about the scribes and Pharisees, who tell the people what to observe but never practice what they preach. Jesus says they make demands, laying heavy burdens on the people and loving places of honor but not leading by example. Rather, we should look to Jesus as teacher, God as Father and look to the Messiah as Master. Jesus teaches that the greatest will serve. It is a bad leader cliché to see a leader who will live do as I say not as I do. Jesus declares if you want to lead first you must serve, people must know you will not ask them to do something that you yourself would not do. In fact Jesus follows His own teaching and lives as a servant, lifting up, providing aide and healing those who are His disciples. Leaders who desire acclamation and adulation are not leaders at all they are selfish and needy. It is easy to fall into a trap, people look up to leaders and want to show them honor. But a leader who follows Jesus will always ask for humility and strength over the ego. It is why Jesus points us to God, to Himself and to the Messiah as ones who will teach and lead the true way to fulfillment.
Jesus especially expects service from His disciples. He wants them to serve one another and serve those who come to them. Jesus lives a life pulled along by those in need. He feels wounded by the fact the people have no shepherd, (Matthew 9:36) the religious leaders lead themselves and the sheep are left on their own. To be a leader and disciples of Jesus, we must serve others.
Do you serve others? What type of leader do you admire?
A leader who follows Jesus will always ask for humility and strength over the ego. It is why Jesus points us to God, to Himself and to the Messiah as ones who will teach and lead the true way to fulfillment. Click To Tweet#bible #godisgreat #jesus #christianity #dailybibleverse @youversion #BeAnEncourager #serve #greatest #Matthew #everybodyalways #god #jesuschrist #jesussaves #godisgood #dailydevotion #biblestudy #scripture #bibleverse #verseoftheday #cross #last #gospels #loveeachother #godisgreat #thisVineyard #youversion #everythingalways