“Ambitions, worthy or not”
By Rev. Michael Stonhouse
Meditation – Thursday, June 27, 2024
Matthew 20: 17-28 (Forward, p. 60) CEV p. 1009
In the tangled and convoluted world of American politics, there is now an interested speculation about who candidate Donald Trump might chose as his running mate. And it is more than simply ‘interesting because’, should he be elected as President, that running mate would automatically—or so I think—become Vice President. So, various pundits are wondering out loud whether some people have decided to ‘cozy up’ to Mr. Trump because of ambition, that is, simply because they want to be in the running for this position.
In a very real sense, this is exactly what the mother of James and John was angling for, the number one and two positions for her sons alongside Jesus in His soon to be established kingdom. (She wouldn’t be the first, or last, mother to have high expectations and ambitions for her sons!).
Anyway, here Jesus needed to set all of them straight. We don’t know exactly what the two brothers—or their mother—were looking for, whether it was power, influence, prestige, or something else, but as far as Jesus was concerned, it was for the wrong thing. They were looking out for themselves, for something selfish, and that, to Jesus’ eyes, was wrong. They needed to look to His example, take it to heart and follow it. They were to look out for others, and indeed, to become a servant of others. That, Jesus asserts, was a truly noble, truly worthy, ambition and one that all of them, and all of us, could take up. It is not an easy calling but one that, with His help, we can all aspire to. Thanks be to God.
Forward notes: “Just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve” (verse 28a).
“Julia traded rushing down Wall Street in high heels for touring the streets of Jerusalem in sandals. After dinner in the hotel cafeteria, she stood in an unmoving line for soft serve ice cream. Her impatience led her to where three tourists were clamoring about how to dispense soft serve. She showed them how by simply pushing a hidden button; then she handed each a bowl and got back in line. Soon, an elderly woman pulled her back to the machine. Once there, others wanted her to serve them. Her pride raged. Who do you think I am, your lowly servant?
“Deep within, Julia’s answer came swiftly. Just steps away in an upper room, Jesus had humbled himself, washing the disciples’ feet, as the servant to all. A grin coursed Julia’s face. Have fun with this! And she did, serving soft serve with a smile to multitudes of diverse, thankful faces.
“The next day on tour, Julia exchanged smiles with people she recognized from the line. One man shook her hand, a woman hugged her, and another introduced her to friends, mimicking eating soft serve.
Moving Forward: “Today and every day, have fun serving others.”