Proper 20 (September 22, 2024)

Sometimes we may feel like we are not getting the respect we deserve. The late comedian, Rodney Dangerfield, always lamented, “I get no respect.” We, too, may feel that we are not getting respect from people like our peers, our parents, or from our boss. And sometimes people resort to rather bizarre tactics to get respect from others. Unfortunately many of those individual end up still crying for respect.

The root problem with the notion of respect is “Pride”! The one who is proud demands to be served. The one who is humble is not content unless serving others. St. Augustine described it this way: “It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels.”

As we see all Christ did to serve us, our hearts melt. Within us grows a Christ-like obsession to serve others, without counting the cost, without any desire to be repaid. Those who are in positions of Christian leadership understand that their leadership can only be achieved through service. For followers of Christ are humble servants.

Followers of Christ are Humble Servants

Servanthood Is Not Earned

Our humility and service do not measure up to God’s perfect standard.

Like the disciples, we would rather be served than serve.

Even when we serve, our motive is often self-serving.

We make comparisons: “I have served more than you.” Pride creeps in to stain our service.

We labor under a false pretense if we think we can merit favor with God by our humble service.

Jesus refused to seek people’s respect under a false pretense:

Mark 9:30 NASB95

30 From there they went out and began to go through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know about it.

The only way to merit any favor before God is opened by honest admission that in ourselves we are not worthy people.

Servanthood is a Gift

Christ Jesus earned it for us.

He humbled Himself all the way to death on a cross to atone for our pride. Mark 9:31.

His rising from the dead guaranteed our acceptance before God.

When we believe that Christ died and rose for us, we can be sure that God accepts us as heaven-worthy people.

Christ Jesus has given us His humility in exchange for our pride.

Christ has bestowed on us His greatness in exchange for our smallness.

Servanthood is Demonstrated By Us

When we serve people who do not deserve our respect:

We willingly place ourselves last (Mark 9:35).

We willingly serve without recognition or praise and thereby foregoing greatness as the world see it (Mark 9:34).

When we serve people who are not in a position to reward us for our service.

Little children are not in a position to reciprocate our service to them (Mark 9:36) any more than we are able to pay God back for having served us in His Son.

Yet, when we serve even the least of God’s children, God notices and even respects our service for Jesus’ sake and graciously rewards us (Mark 9:37).

When we are putting ourselves last and serving someone who needs serving and could never repay us, we are living Christlike lives. We are serving God. In Christ we find that true greatness is found in true humility.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.