“But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”–Matthew 20:25–28
Someone said, “If you want to become the greatest in your field, no matter what it may be, equip yourself to render greater service than anyone else.” We know the importance that God places on service, both from the commands of Scripture and from the example of Jesus. He was the ultimate picture of sacrificial living for the sake of others. Though He deserved praise and glory, He was willing to lay all of that aside to fulfill God’s plan of salvation.
When Jesus was on the cross, His enemies mocked Him, trying to add to the weight of His suffering. “He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him” (Matthew 27:42). Yet in their evil intention, they expressed a profound truth. It was not possible for Jesus to save both Himself and us.
In the same way, if we are to be of genuine service to others, it will come at a price. The time, talent, and resources that we put toward meeting the needs of others could be used for our own benefit. Or, we can choose to pour our lives and what we have into the lives of others, following the example of Jesus. And when we do, we have God’s promise that His grace will supply everything we need.
