Wednesday
11th March 2020. Read Jeremiah 18:18-20, Psalm 31 and Matthew
20:17-28.
“…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.” (Matthew
20:26-28)
Today, Jesus teaches us that the
shortest key to greatness is service. If respect begets respect, then service
begets promotion. One who cannot serve cannot also lead. As Jesus said to the
mother of James and John, one who cannot drink the cup (of suffering, service, sacrifice)
cannot sit at the right and left of Jesus.
If you ever find yourself in a
position of service, consider it a privilege, an opportunity to improve
yourself, to learn and to grow. Serving others helps you to understand people,
it makes you discover your talents and acquire new skills. To the world, it may
appear as though you are simply slaving for the benefit of others but in truth,
service rendered with a cheerful heart makes you a star.
Take it from me, if Joseph had not
been a slave, there was no way he would have functioned well as a Prime
Minister. God knew what he wanted to make of Joseph so He arranged for Joseph
to begin from ground zero. Life’s greatest lessons are not taught in the
comfort of our classroom desks but in tears, sweat and blood. No wonder Denzel
Washington said: “Ease is a greater threat to progress than adversity.”
As we see in our first reading today,
it wasn’t easy for Jeremiah. People were plotting to kill him because he would
always speak the truth. Indeed, it wasn’t easy for any of the prophets neither
was it easy for Jesus who: “emptied himself, taking the form of a servant….
Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is
above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven
and on earth and under the earth.” (Philippians 2:5-11).
Dear friends, there is more honour in
being a servant than in being served by others. Do not think you are doing your
children a favour when you employ housemaids and houseboys to do all the work
in the house while your kids simply eat, sleep and play? In truth, you may just
be deforming your children.
Let us pray: Lord Jesus, teach me to
find joy in being a servant. Amen.
Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith.
It is well with you. God bless you. (Wednesday of the 2nd Week of Lent. Bible
Study: Jeremiah 18:18-20, Psalm 31 and Matthew 20:17-28).
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