“And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:27-28)

Zebedee’s wife came to Jesus with her sons, kneeling down and asking Jesus to grant her two sons (James and John) to be the greatness among all who sit in the Kingdom of Heaven with Him, one on His right and the other on the left (Matthew 20:20-21). Parents naturally want to see their children promoted or honoured, but this desire is dangerous if it is not according to the will of God. They do not understand the suffering they must face before living in the glory of God’s Kingdom. The “cup” was the suffering and crucifixion that Jesus faced.

The other disciples were upset with James and John for trying to grab the top positions. All the disciples wanted to be the greatest (Matthew 18:1). But Jesus uses this moment to teach them that the greatest person in God’s Kingdom is the servant of all.

Human greatness is always measured within the social system, possessions, leadership, and authority; great or small; rich or poor, etc. People earn status based on their achievements that their social system values highly. 

The Lord’s definition of greatness is the opposite of the social system. He says whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant (Matthew 20:26; 23:11). It involves taking away our pride and our will and humbly doing what it takes to meet the needs of others. 

Jesus is God Himself, but He chose to be a servant and even gave His life for us in the way that a slave would die for His master. His selfless sacrifice should motivate us to do the same for others. The greatest among us are those who love and serve others most. Serving people is key to what it means to be a disciple in the Kingdom of God.

What greatness do we really value in life?

If Jesus came to be a servant, then we, His followers, are called to be servants too.