Monday, October 11

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”

“What do you want me to do for you,” he asked.

They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”

“You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”

“We can,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. Those places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”

When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”                                                 Mark 10: 35-45

Have you ever complained about poor service in a restaurant? Most of us have! About a month ago I took my two older sons to a “Buffalo Wild Wings” near my older son’s college campus. We arrived to find the place packed – evidently it was “Ultimate Fighting Championship” night and there are A LOT of UFC fans in Marion, Indiana! But we went ahead and put our names on the “to be seated” list because we were hungry - and waited. And waited. And waited. We waited for 45 minutes only to finally notice that no matter how many people left the restaurant there was still no room for us. The whole time we were waiting to be seated – other people just kept coming in and walking right by the guy taking names and sat with their friends. Finally, we noticed that the guy taking names was no longer standing at his post – he was just gone. It became obvious that we were not going to be seated and we were not going to be served – and we were upset! So we left in a huff and found another restaurant willing to serve us a late-night meal! How many times have you found yourself saying something like, “You just can’t get good service anymore!”

The truth is that we all like to be served – especially when we are hungry! It is also true that we would all rather BE served than serve. I think this is because our culture has taught us to be good consumers rather than good servants. Whether we like to admit it or not – we would rather stay in the comfort zone of consuming - being served – having our needs met - than step out of that comfort zone and find a way to serve someone else.

In this conversation – first with James and John – and then with the rest of the disciples – Jesus is turning their, and our, understanding of service upside-down. As followers of Jesus we are not to see ourselves as “consumers of religious service,” but rather, “servants of all.”

Take time this week to notice how often your instinct is to seek good service – in a restaurant, in stores – even at church. Ask God to begin to turn your heart toward service – ask him to show you ways to become more servant than consumer!

Brian Coffey