Scripture
But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else.

Observation
Immediately after Jesus foretells his suffering and death, James and John come to Him with a request that when Jesus takes up His throne they be allowed to sit in the places of honour on either side of Him.

Jesus replies by asking if they are able to drink from His cup of suffering, to which they quickly reply “Yes!” Jesus has no right to say who will sit in the places of honour.

Jesus then calls all the disciples together and tells them that amongst His followers leaders must first be servants, for He has set the example by coming to serve not to be served, and to die for the ransom of many.

Application
Jesus calls on us to die to ourselves in every way. He reverses the normal way of thinking so that to be a leader you must take the role and attitude of a servant.

It is the ability to serve that qualifies us to lead, not diplomas and degrees or personality or experience.

Too often we are seduced by the ways of the world into thinking that the guy who looks good and talks well should be the leader and that we should serve him. It is the person who serves the people and seeks to build them up that should be put into the place of leadership.

Leaders in God's Kingdom are those who walk most closely with Jesus- through the paths of serving and suffering.

Prayer
Lord Jesus please enable me to serve others rather than myself, to seek to serve not to be served. Amen.