Serving others is serving God . . .

 

READ Mark 9–12

A group I belong to was having trouble getting people to take leadership positions so I volunteered. They gave me one that has a title but very little to do. Before this and since, a few situations needing solutions have popped up without any answers. I offered several ideas only to be ignored. No responses at all and no interest shown in my input. I wondered if my position was just that — a name to fill the bylaw requirement without any other reason to be there. This makes me feel without value. Today’s reading addresses my thoughts.

The disciples each wanted to be “the greatest” but Jesus told them their attitude was out of line. “He sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, ‘If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.’ ” (Mark 9:35) This rebukes me. I don’t have a servant heart, at times more like wanting to be significant as a top dog, or at least appreciated for my knowledge and experience.

The Holy Spirit didn’t stop there. Jesus added that entering His kingdom required being like a child (10:13) and added, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” (Mark 10:29–31) In other words, expect losses as His servant, but also rewards, yet realize with the rewards will come maltreatment. In serving others, I’m to serve Him, but again, not expect a rose garden.

Jesus also said, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:42–45)

By this time, I’m feeling ashamed of my resentment. God wants me to serve without grumbling or expecting anything. This is not about being somebody but about loving Him and loving my neighbors — without any stipulation that they will love me too.

And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:28–31)

In my Bible margin I had written, “This is actually one command — I do the first by doing the second.” That is, I show my love for God by loving others, including my enemies (see Matthew 5:43-48). This says I cannot respond to the attitude others have with the same attitude. I’m feeling like I should just be there, not participate, who cares. Yet many have said that the opposite of love is not hate, but indifference. On the receiving end, indifference does not feel good, yet to be like that in return is to disobey God’s great commandment. I need to give what little I am able or allowed as an expression of love for them and for God.

(Jesus) sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.” (Mark 12:41–44)

The bottom line: I may have nothing to contribute or be expected to just ‘show up’ without input, yet God says to give what I can give. He uses this widow’s offering to remind me that my sense of poverty is not a bad thing but an opportunity to please Him.