READING: Exodus 16-18, Matthew 20:17-21:11
The contrast was surely quite stark. Jesus had informed His disciples for the third time that He was going to Jerusalem to die. Others would mock Him, flog Him, and crucify Him. He could stop it all, but He would not. After all, He had come for this purpose.
At the same time, the mother of James and John had a request for Jesus: “Promise that these two sons of mine may sit, one on your right and the other on your left, in your kingdom” (Matt. 20:21). Mark’s Gospel (10:35-37) tells us that the sons also led in this questioning, so it was apparently a family effort to get seats of prestige. Given that the remaining disciples “became indignant with the two brothers” (Matt. 20:24), it’s likely they all wanted the best seats – and James and John simply beat them to the punch. None of them, it seems, was yet ready to be a servant. None were thinking about serving even unto death.
The disciples had much to learn about serving others, about denying self, about living differently than the world does – and so do we. May God help us to serve Him humbly, even to the point of death.
PRAYER: “God, make me a true servant.”
TOMORROW’S READING: Exodus 19-21, Matthew 21:12-32