“Called To Serve Not To Be Served!”

“Called To Serve Not To Be Served!”
(Mk.9:33-37).
In the apocryphal book of 1 Esdras (chs. 3&4), three bodyguards of King Darius of Persia contest about what single thing is the strongest.
For the first guard, wine is the strongest. The second guard says the king is the strongest. Zerubbabel, the third guard, argues that women are strong because even the king can become a plaything of a woman, but he concludes that truth is the greatest or strongest of all things.
Jesus and his disciples were on a trip when an almost similar debate came up among the disciples about who was the greatest among them to become a possible replacement of Jesus. They didn’t know Jesus heard their discussion.
Jesus took the opportunity to school the Twelve on what it means to be the greatest.
“They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, ‘What were you arguing about on the road?’ But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, ‘Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.’ He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, ‘Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.'”
With God, the way up is down! True greatness comes through serving others without discrimination.
*Leadership – especially within the community of believers – is servanthood. We are called to lead and not to rule and command.
My friend, the Lord Jesus Christ is not going to stand before you today as an honoured guest. But whoever stands before you who is created in the image of God is Jesus Christ in disguise. *”God is in the Other.”*
One of the so-called Mugabe quotes say you should treat all parts of your towel with care as the part that wipes your face now can be the same part that wiped the place through which you pass out waste.
The Lord Jesus Christ says: “… whoever comes to me I will never drive away.(Jn.6:37). Jesus expects us to treat everybody with respect and dignity because “all lives matter.”
Prayer: Holy Spirit, help me each day to see Christ in those I interact with. Amen!
Have a blessed day! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.
20/08/2026.