Should you desire to be great? Day 20: Thirty Day Meditations to Abundant Life!

What was Jesus' supreme motivation to get people to serve, be humble, be the least, washing each other's feet? Jesus came to serve and not to be served, as I wrote previously, but we are most certainly called to serve but not for the reason most of us think! We often hear messages that are designed to gear up God's people to serve selflessly in mostly insignificant tasks that don't create much impact. Hey, I'm being honest, that's the way people read into it.

Here's the thing... when Jesus talks about us being the least and the last and the servant of all, what was the motivation that He addresses that is already in us? Notice Jesus did not tell everyone that they should serve!

See it here for yourselves...

If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all. Mark 9:35

...Whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. Mark 10:43

Did you catch that? IF... IF anyone desires to be first. You know what He's alluding too... "you shall be the head and not the tail... you shall be above only and not below." (see Deut 28).

Courtesy of Flickr; Andre Bohrer

And whoever desires to become great... wow! Have we missed something all these years? We desire to be great no matter how much we are taught to suppress those desires... we desire them because we are made in God's image, because we are like our Father and have His desires to bless and make an impact. It is a godly thing to desire to more, to be first, to be great... but not for worldly gain! The very teachings in the verses above dispel that notion right at the outset... "he shall be last and servant of all" and he "shall be your servant."

The son and daughter of God who wants to be "great" and the "first" wants to be those things to bless and love and care and restore and heal and redeem just like their Father does. We weren't extracted from the kingdom of darkness into His kingdom only so we could be satisfied serving people coffee and patting them on the back congratulating them for 'coming to church'.

You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. (1 Pet 2:9)

We are a royal priesthood, called to reconcile the world to Christ and nothing short of the monumental task of not just bringing but being the kingdom of God. What does it mean to be "royal"... in truth, we are king-priests! (see Rev 1:6). What do kings do? They reign, either for ill or good. We have immense power to bless the cities and nations we live in just be the very truth that we are His righteousness (see 2 Cor 5:21; Prov 11:11 and remember Abraham and Lot)! 

So unshackle your God given desire to be something more, to be greater, to be a man or woman that shakes the world for good. It is why, after redeeming you by the precious blood of His Son, that He has kept you here on earth. He could have just zapped us home but He didn't. 

These aren't my words... desire to be great. Jesus expects you to. 

He who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do. John 14:12

I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. John 15:16

Check out the previous day's post... it's super relevant! The secret of serving Christ - Day 19: Thirty Day Meditations to Abundant Life!

David Roiel

The Green Leaf Blog-Discover your inheritance!

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