Mark 10:43

They truly believed the kingdom would be set up. But, as so often with ourselves, a good deal of unjudged flesh pushed its way into their faith. They saw the kingdom as a chance for their own advancement, not as the place where the glory of Christ would be displayed.

The flesh does not become plain only through the fault of one person or another. How do we behave when the faults of others are on display? The anger that broke out in the ten showed the pride of their own hearts, just as much as the two men wanting the best place.

How easy it was, and still is, for the disciples of Jesus to accept and take up the standards and customs of the world around them. Because everybody seems to be doing it, they take for granted that it is the right thing to do. Again and again our Lord would say to us, "But it shall not be so among you." The nations have their great men, who exercise their authority in a lordly way. Among the disciples of the Lord, greatness shows itself in a completely different way. There true greatness lies in taking the lowly place of service to others — serving the Lord in serving them.

There is a difference between the two words. The word translated "minister" means a servant. But in the next verse it is a bondman or slave. Do you want to be really great according to the principles of My kingdom? Go down as low as you can. Do you want to be the greatest? Go down the lowest of all. Whoever has least of self is greatest in the Lord's eyes.

This is love which serves, not flesh which seeks to be served. What counts is the motive and spirit behind it, not a position held in the church or in ministry. I have no doubt that the one who was not a bit behind the very greatest of the apostles was the one most filled with the mind which was in Christ Jesus. That was true in his own soul and in his service too. Paul was bondsman of all.

Service was the road to rule, and this could only be because rule itself would be fuller service. Whoever would be great among them would be their minister, and the chief among them by that very fact be bound to serve them. Must it not be plain that the Son of Man, the King, "came not to be served but to serve"? Glory might change the character of this service — not the spirit nor the fact of it.

If He cannot give them the chief place in glory, He can show them the path that leads there. The One who takes the lowest place on earth as the bondman of all will have the highest place in glory.

Who was so great as He in His original state? Then "a thousand thousands served Him" (Dan. 7:10). Who took so lowly a place, ministering to others? Who carried service to such a length as "to give His life as a ransom for many"? For this reason alone, apart from anything else, the place of pre-eminence must be His. Those who follow Him most closely in lowly service in this day will be greatest in that day.