“They just don’t get it”
By Rev. Michael Stonhouse
Meditation – Friday, December 1, 2023
Matthew 20: 17-28 (Forward, p. 33) CEV p. 1009
They just don’t get it: the disciples, that is. And, I don’t think that James and John were the only ones. I happen to think that the others from the Twelve were incensed with the affrontery and unmitigated of the two brothers James and John before they had gotten to Jesus first. The truth is probably that they too would have liked to have made the same request.
But as it is, none of them ‘get it’. I think that this is true in a couple of ways. Firstly, they don’t ‘get it’ in terms of the kingdom itself, the kingdom of God. They are still picturing it as an earthly ‘flesh and blood’ kingdom with a throne room, courtiers and staff, and all the trimmings. And yet, only moments before, Jesus had described something very, very different, namely humiliation, a trial and a death on a cross, with a resurrection on the third day. This was anything ‘but’ kingly, or, at least, not in the way that they were expecting it.
The other way in which they didn’t ‘get it’ was in terms of what exaltation and places of excellence in the kingdom really look like. These would be totally unlike anything our present world knows. Our present world order and its political systems place great stock in having power and being able to order people around, making them do precisely what you want. But Jesus overturns this notion entirely. He says that to be great in His kingdom one must give up all notions of power, control and influence. It is to give up all ideas of piling up power or importance for oneself, but rather to forget oneself and simply put oneself at the disposal of others--that is, to be a servant, even as Jesus chose to be a servant for us all. And sad to say, probably many of us don’t ‘get it’ either—or don’t want to. Fallen and fallible creatures that we are, we still like, and yearn for, those outward trappings of power, influence and importance, that befit those earthly kingdoms, yes, even in the church! “So, Lord, help us, help us to be more like you in how you chose to serve and love us.” Amen.
Forward notes: “It will not be so among you; but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant” (verse 26).
“I worked at a restaurant as a teenager along with my brothers and their friend Bill. One day, I heard Bill saying that he was impressed with the way
our boss joined the workers on the dock, helping to unload the boxes. Bill said a leader willing to do the work of all his employees, regardless of their position in the company, was a good guy.
“His words made an enormous impression on me. Although I attended church, I had never before thought about the idea of servant leadership. Bill often claimed that he was not religious, but he was the one who taught me what it means to be a servant leader like Jesus.
“In the classes I teach to college students, I try to remember that leadership is service. I believe Jesus wants me to walk next to these young adults, asking myself, ‘What do they need today? Who’s struggling? He wants me to care—and to act.”
Moving Forward: “What examples do you see of servant leadership in your church? In your community?”