Toy Stories: Ken — Servant vs. Selfish - Wednesday
Today’s Verse
Matthew 20:24-25
And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.” (ESV)
Let’s try a thought exercise. Think of a time when you were under someone else’s authority. This could be a parent, teacher, coach, mentor, or supervisor. What made you more (or less) willing to follow their leadership?
As I’m writing this, one of my former physical therapy supervisors immediately comes to mind. Over time, I realized he wasn’t just a person in a position of authority; he also submitted himself under a higher authority. I initially assumed it was his supervisor, but that wasn’t the entire picture.
Even though he never explicitly disclosed it until I asked, all signs indicated that he was a follower of Jesus. It was most evident in the way he engaged with people through his words and his actions—even down to the most mundane tasks (Colossians 3:23-24).
Case in point: One day, our staff was in the middle of resetting the clinic before our afternoon wave of patients. He quietly slipped into the office after a meeting at our corporate location, tucked his tie in his shirt, and started wiping down tables with us before he took out the trash.
I realize this may seem like a trivial example, but I don’t think it’s a coincidence that this moment still resonates with me nearly a decade later. Something in my young, professional heart and soul needed to witness the Regional Vice President model what it meant to wash dirty feet, or in this case, dirty tables (John 13).
In Jesus’ context, the Roman government and religious leaders abused their authority by serving themselves at the expense of those under their leadership. So when Jesus sheds light on what it means to “lord” over others, He’s highlighting how the Kingdom operates differently from culture.
This is why it’s so critical for us to have the same mindset as Jesus. Even though He existed in the form of God, Jesus didn’t consider equality with God as something to be grasped (Philippians 2:5-6). In other words, Jesus didn’t lord His authority over people; He leveraged His authority for people. That’s Someone worth submitting to. That’s Someone worth following.
APPLICATION
What position(s) of authority or influence has God entrusted to you? How can you leverage this for people by having the same mindset as Jesus?
PRAYER
Father, align my mind and my heart to reflect that of Jesus. Reveal where I’m lording the influence You’ve entrusted to me for my own benefit rather than leveraging it to serve Your Kingdom.