"Not So With You"

       Each day I try to begin my day with reading a few chapters of Scripture and praying for how God would have me respond.  In this, I have been using a reading plan/devotional book called For The Love of God by D.A. Carson, one of my professors here at Trinity.  The book has a reading plan to read through the whole Old Testament once, and the New Testament and Psalms twice in a year.  With each day, Dr. Carson gives a reflection or devotion on the reading.  This morning's NT portion was Matthew 20.  As I have been reflecting at great length on the health of the Church in America, Jesus' words particularly stood out to me.  Jesus says, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."  Dr. Carson points out that Jesus understands the nature of government power, that "absolute power corrupts absolutely" as Lord Acton said,  but also that unfortunately, this is often true of our church leaders.  Jesus says things are to be different among us.  Whoever wants to become great among us, must become a servant.  Why?  Because Jesus came to be the same.  Right away, I thought about what this means for leading well and leading with our gifts.  As if reading my thoughts (I know he can't do this...I know it seems I may think he can), Dr. Carson writes, "Becoming a slave of all most emphatically does not mean that leaders must become servile, stupid, ignorant, or merely nice--any more than Jesus' leadership and sacrifice were characterized by such incompetence."  So, we can lead with skill and gifts but the difference is that Christian leadership is to be "a self-denying sacrifice for the sake of others."  My favorite part of the devotion this morning was the conclusion.  Finishing his thoughts, Dr. Carson says, "So the church must not elevate people to places of leadership who have many of the gifts necessary to high office, but who lack this one...you must also be profoundly committed to principled self-denial for the sake of brothers and sisters in Christ, or you are disqualified."  I have been around a few of these profound, servant leaders in my life, a list that most certainly includes both of my parents.  They make you want to serve, they make you feel a sense of ownership for the mission of the Church, and they make you want to follow their example.  I pray for us, and ask you to pray for me, as I continue to follow God's call into ministry, that we will set an example of self-denial for the sake of others...so that we will not be disqualified.  For us that we would not seek the approval of people, or crowns on earth, but to seek to serve as Jesus did.