"The way up, is the way down."

When Jesus came into ministry His teaching rocked the thinking of all who listened to Him.  He taught that seeking for greatness is the best way to fail, but to serve others is the only way to be great!  The world just didn’t know how to take His instruction.  It was unconventional to say the least, and provocative in how it went completely against conventional wisdom.  Jesus said that the greatest person isn’t the king, or governor, but that man or woman who is your servant.  They are GREAT!  This was unheard of!  You can see why Jesus wasn’t very popular with the Scribes and the Pharisees.  These men thought that they were great because they were the religious and political leaders of the people.  But Jesus turned that value system upside down.

For a man to become a part of the Sanhedrin, the ruling body in Israel, he had to be “somebody.”  He had to have a measure of fame, some money, and be popular with the men in the ruling body—whether Pharisee, Sadducee, or Herodian.  These were men of pomp and pride.  To become one of “the seventy” men in this council, a man had to be on the way up, he must be something special, and by his own budding greatness catch the eye of the men with whom he desired to serve.  Without credentials he could never be great—or so thought the men in Jesus’ day!  If not born with greatness, by being born into the right family, they believed that the way up was to make a name for himself.

In our verse for today, Jesus explained that the person who “lifts himself up on high” is going to be brought to humility, to be brought low, in other words “to be abased.”  So the burning desire for personal greatness will in the end lead a person to lowliness.

But note the contrast in the end of our verse, “he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.”  The one who brings himself low, who is a servant, who looks after people, who genuinely cares for people is the one whom the Lord will lift up when He thinks it best.  Please understand your purpose cannot be, “I’ll be a servant now to get to rule later!”  This isn’t part of the picture for a servant.  The true servant is so intent on serving those that God has put in his way, that he isn’t concerned with “being great later.”

It is interesting to note that the word “servant” in verse 11 is the same original word that we get the word “deacon” from.  A deacon in the church isn’t a man who is the “exalted leader,” but the man who is a servant to the people of the church.

If you are sincerely trying to be a servant, don’t let discouragement, because of the way people treat you, overcome you.  You are walking where Jesus walked when He was on earth.  Jesus is with you!  So keep serving from the heart!