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“The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.” Matthew 20:28
This verse takes me to a time not too long ago of a simple but profound moment when I was reminded Whose we are and Whom we serve.
I was on my way somewhere and was in somewhat of a hurry. I arrived at a four-way stop, and quite frankly, well before the person going in the opposite direction of me. It was evident that this driver was also in a hurry. I waved them on to go before me as they quickly advanced through the intersection. I must admit, I was disappointed that there was no acknowledgement from the driver as they moved past me — not a wave, a smile, or even a nod. There was no evidence of showing even just an inkling of gratitude for giving them the go-ahead and reacting as though their time was more valuable than mine.
As I continued on to my destination, I began pondering: Is this how we oftentimes act in our relationship with Christ? The One Who says Himself, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve others.” Do we take for granted what He did for us? He came voluntarily to give His own life as a ransom for many (1 Timothy 2:5–6). His death on the cross is the ultimate act of service by the greatest human to ever live. Do we acknowledge, thank, praise, and adore Him as often as we should? No, we frequently live with feelings of self-sufficiency and entitlement.
Are we, who are in Christ, on the same path to greatness: humble, sacrificial service to one another? And whether we receive praise or blame should not make a difference, as “whatever we do, we should work heartily for the Lord and not for people" (Colossians 3:23).
Our motivation behind our service is not our love for others, but our love for the Lord. If our devotion is to the cause of humanity, we will quickly feel defeated and disappointed, and we will often be confronted with a great deal of ingratitude from other people. “The fear of man lays a snare" (Proverbs 29:25). But if we are motivated by our love for God, no amount of ingratitude will hinder us from serving one another. Our understanding of how Christ deals with us should be our determination to serve others ... unconditionally.
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