Thursday 17 Mar 2022

March 17: Matthew 20:20-28

Key Verse: Matthew 20:26
Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant

Devotion:
Have you been in a place of work or an organisation where the people who knew the right people seemed to get the better positions or jobs to do? I am sad to admit I have been in far too many jobs where this still goes on, but when you find a job where they truly look at the work you do and not who your parents were or what sort of car you drive, then you will be a whole lot happier to work for them!

When the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus to try and get her sons in positions of authority or social standing, Jesus was quite straight with her – it is God’s choice where they should be and not anything to do with the physical world or friends of friends etc. Jesus wants each person to get the respect they deserve and not what they can pay for!

Although the young men had been brought up to think they could be righteous people, Jesus warned them they would have to be willing to give just as He gave, to live as He lived and to be humble in doing any of it! Their mother, on the other hand, wanted a favour for her sons rather than them earning their positions in life. Whilst we cannot blame the mother for wanting the best for her sons, they were learning Jesus is Just and does not give in to social standings.

If we want to have any position in our churches, we should be willing to work from the bottom and not to jump in at the top just because we went to university or because our parents had positions in church. Each of us should be willing to serve the community and the church people before we can expect anything from them. Jesus came to serve His Father by being willing to serve mankind in any way possible.

Points to Ponder:
Do you expect rewards in life?

Are you willing to give rewards first?