New? February 15 Devotional
February 15, 2025
MATTHEW 20:26-28 | 26 It will not be so among you, but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave, 28 just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many.
Jesus did more than subvert hierarchy on behalf of the dominated and controlled lower subsections. He also sought to free the top of the hierarchy from delusion by redefining greatness in terms of service. He measured greatness not in terms of control or domination but by the willingness to forgo rights and privilege in order to serve, help, and empower others.
This was and remains a radical, original, and very powerful insight. We can gain position in the social hierarchy in any number of ways: fortunate birth, advantageous opportunities, lucky timing, self-serving strategies, or creativity and hard work. But we can only come alongside someone in their need and struggle in humility, forsaking power in the name of love. This means setting aside animus dominandi and self interest. It is what God did in the incarnation, letting go of divine glory to came alongside us in our need.
Are you good at coming alongside others?
