Scripture
“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 your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
— Matthew 20:26–28 (ESV)
A Lesson from the River
As a kid, the household was full of laughter, memories, and good times. Our family grew up on a family farm in Central California. One of the most special parts of the family farm was a river that ran through it.
To two young boys, that meant one thing in the summer: fishing.
We saved up for canoes, upgraded our gear, and spent most of our evenings out on the water. Just after dinner, that was the window, the best time to catch fish.
But as dusk rolled in, my brother and I would always hear the dreaded words after dinner:
“Time to do the dishes.”
Few things frustrated me more than having to serve inside when I wanted to be outside. I wasn’t thinking about anyone else I just wanted more time on the water.
But looking back now, that was the beginning of learning something important: serving isn’t always convenient, but it’s always necessary. Even in small ways, we were being taught that life isn't just about what we want when we want it. Sometimes serving means putting others before ourselves, even when it costs us something.
Greatness Flipped on Its Head
In Matthew 20, James and John’s mother comes to Jesus with a bold request: that her sons sit at His right and left in His kingdom—positions of power and glory. The other disciples hear this and, naturally, get frustrated. Not because they were more humble, but because they wanted the same thing.
Jesus steps in and gently corrects the thinking of the entire group.
“It shall not be so among you…”
He’s telling them, My Kingdom doesn’t work like the world’s system. Here on earth, people chase status, influence, and being first. But in the Kingdom of God? It’s flipped.
“Whoever would be great among you must be your servant…”
Greatness isn’t about how many serve you, but how many you serve. In a single sentence, Jesus dismantles the world’s definition of success.
“Whoever would be first among you must be your slave…”
This takes it a step further. The word “slave” here means to give up your own rights entirely not under compulsion, but out of love. Jesus is calling us not to part-time kindness, but full-time humility.
“Even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
And here’s the foundation of it all: Jesus didn’t just say these things He lived them. He came to serve. To wash feet. To walk humbly. To give His life. He didn’t cling to comfort or attention He embraced sacrifice and poured Himself out for the sake of others.
What This Teaches Us Today
In a world dictated by selfishness, we have to learn to be selfless.
And that’s not an easy thing to say let alone do.
We are consistently surrounded by messages of power, greed, entitlement, and control. The phrases we hear on repeat:
“I want…”
“I deserve…”
“He got what he wanted, so I should too.”
But in contrast to this noise, Jesus calls us to a quieter, stronger path: serving.
And let’s be honest, our world is full of people who have been knocked down. Whether by personal mistakes, the fault of others, or by circumstances no one saw coming, there is no shortage of need around us.
So what does it mean to serve?
It means showing up for your spouse or family in times of need.
It means listening to a coworker going through something hard.
It means caring for the homeless in your city.
It means choosing kindness over anger when someone is difficult.
It means giving when it’s uncomfortable.
And most of all, it means serving without seeking recognition.
We don’t serve for applause. We don’t serve for status.
We serve to honor the One who served us first.
Jesus showed us the ultimate picture of what selflessness means.
He didn’t cling to worldly status, social rank, or material comfort.
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