God’s Ways are Backward — Scripture Reflection #011

Matthew 20:26-28 (New Living Translation)

26 “But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. 28 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.”

I really like how God runs His kingdom; everything is counter to what we learn in the world. In His kingdom, we must give to receive, practice humility before being promoted, and put ourselves last if we want to become first. It is a direct counter to the competitive, go-getter mentality that we feel we must adopt to “climb the ladder” and be “successful”. In God’s kingdom, we are rewarded for looking to the interests of others before our own. God’s ways are backward from what we know this world to be.

In my life, my earthly father is a great example of someone who lowers himself for the sake of others. When we are serving at the church, he often chooses the jobs that others usually avoid, like custodial work. This inspires me to do the same, and I think it is setting me up well to serve my soon-to-be wife. When there are chores around the house or undesirable tasks that need to be taken care of, I must remember my father’s example and choose to take them up in humility and love for her.

Let’s cultivate a mindset of humility and servitude where we look to the interests of others before our own. In that way, we can become more like Jesus and advance His kingdom in this world!