#1

What does it mean to be #1? How do you become #1? The Winter Olympics wrapped up two weeks ago, and judging by those competitions (really any sporting competition), you become #1 by beating everyone else. The same is true in the business world or politics: whoever raises the most money usually wins. The phrase often used is “I’m going to beat my opponent” or “we will beat the competition.” In our culture today, the way to become #1 is to beat the competition. This, however, is not how Jesus said to become #1.

“He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, ‘Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.’” (Mark 9:35)

Jesus said this to His disciples because they had been arguing over who was the greatest among them. Imagine that: walking with the King, Savior, Creator of the world and wondering who among you is the greatest. Don’t we do that still today? Isn’t Jesus with us everywhere we go and still we spend so much of our lives trying to take that top spot. Are you still pursuing the #1 spot in the world’s way or God’s way?

“But Jesus called them together and said, ‘You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave.’” (Matthew 20:25-27)

So far, Jesus’ instruction to become #1 is to take the last place and be a servant to everyone else. Those in power tend to stay in power and they tend to flaunt their authority over those under them, just as Jesus pointed out over 2,000 years ago. We’ve seen that now more than ever over the last two years as those in power threw down unlawful mandates for citizens and then went to parties and expensive dinners ignoring the same mandates themselves. But we are not called to revolt; we are called to serve.

“So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.” (Matthew 20:16)

“‘For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.’” (Matthew 20:28)

Jesus promised that the last will be first and the first shall be last, and His life was the ultimate example of servanthood. Although He is King, Lord, Savior, Creator of all things, He did not come to Earth to be served but to serve. If our King can serve others, if He can wash the feet of the man who was to betray him and the man who would deny him, and the men who would abandon him, then we can serve those around us. You want to be #1? Take the last place now and serve others.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.