“Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” Mark 9:35
Confused by Jesus’ prediction of His death, the disciples return to a subject they know well, their own greatness. In the prior verses, Mark tells us the disciples chose to remain silent, refusing to tell Jesus about their discussion. But Jesus once again challenges their thinking. He presented them with a paradox – that to be great in God’s kingdom, one must be a servant.
Jesus shows them that true status is found in serving those whom God values. When we are tempted to debate who is the greatest, we should instead look to where the Master hangs on the cross. He represents us before the Father in order to redeem us, and He leads us by the cross into a new life.
And with the terms “first … last … servant of all”, Jesus described His own life. Hence, He is the example model for all of us.
God’s blessings on your day…