Leaders--To Serve

"Then the mother of James and John came to JESUS with her sons, and she knelt down, to ask a favor.  JESUS said to her, 'What do you want?'  And she answered, 'Here, YOU have my two sons.  Grant, that they may sit, one at YOUR right hand and one at YOUR left, in YOUR kingdom.'

JESUS said to the brothers, 'You do not know what you are asking.  Can you drink the cup that I AM about to drink?'  They answered, 'We can.'  JESUS replied, 'You will indeed drink MY cup; but to sit at MY right or at MY left is not for ME to grant.  That will be for those, for whom MY FATHER has prepared it.'

The other ten heard all this, and were angry with the two brothers.  Then JESUS called them to HIM and said, 'You know, that the rulers of nations behave like tyrants, and the powerful oppress them.  It shall not be so among you: whoever wants to be great in your community, let him minister to the community.  And if you want to be the first of all, make yourself the servant of all.  Be like the Son of Man, who came not to be served, but to serve, and to give HIS life to redeem many.'" - Matthew 20:20-28 

(JESUS feels full of courage and confidence, as HE HIMSELF walks ahead of them to Jerusalem, where HIS punishment awaits HIM.  Prompted by James' and John's request, HE tries to convince HIS followers that success in his kingdom does not consist in prestige and power, but in following the way of JESUS, their leader.

What makes a leader?  How should a leader be?  How do leaders act, the head of a team, of a family?  The heads of state smile at crowds and embrace a child who renders them homage, but who serves and who is to be served?  JESUS has come to serve and HIS service to humanity will be HIS voluntary death: "HE made HIMSELF obedient, took the condition of a slave and died on the cross" [Philippians 2:8].)

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