36 And he said to them, “What is it you want me to do for you?”
Mark 10:36
February 2024
At dinner the other night our kids were sharing what their three wishes would be if they found a genie in a bottle. The regular rule applied - no asking for more wishes. Jackson’s three wishes were, “(1) Unlimited money, (2) becoming the best athlete in the world, and (3) the ability to pick his classmates for all of his classes the rest of his school career. Clearly we are doing a great job at teaching only noble and selfless values to our children.
His first two wishes would likely fall on most kids’ lists, especially those who love sports as much as Jackson. The third wish surprised me and reminded me just how much peer groups matter, especially to Junior High and High School kids. It has never been easy to be a junior high kid and today’s world, with technology and instantaneous information, adds more pressure than many of us could have ever imagined when we were 13.
The struggles of teenagers today is a huge topic, and an important one. But that is not the purpose of this letter. Instead I want to look at Jesus’ question from Mark 10, quoted above. James and John, two of the disciples, come to Jesus and say to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you” (vs. 35). It is as if the two brothers are thinking of Jesus in terms of some sort of magic genie in a bottle. Jesus is willing to play along with them and so he asks, “What is it you want me to do for you?”
Let’s pause there for a moment. How would you answer that question? If Jesus of Nazareth asked you “what is it you want me to do for you?” how would you respond? I mean this seriously. I’m not simply trying to expose how shallow our desires might be - although James’ and John’s wish is fairly shallow. They want to be first and second in importance in Jesus’ kingdom. They want to share in Jesus’ glory. The question: “what do we want?” is an important one. What do we believe would bring us peace or purpose?
My guess is most of us don’t aspire to fame and fortune anymore. Financial security would be nice but most of us recognize life is more than the stuff we accumulate.
Jesus’ answer to the Zebedee brothers in Mark 10 is somewhat cryptic. He tells them that they don’t fully understand what it is they are asking for. Jesus then actually encourages them to desire to be great - but only if they allow him to define what greatness actually looks like. Jesus says, “whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Mrk 10:43-45).
Jesus says the desire to be great is okay. As long as we understand what greatness looks like. Greatness in Jesus’ kingdom is reserved for servants and slaves. Those who give up their lives for the sake of others. And by “giving up our lives,” I don’t mean literally giving it up - most of us will never be put in that situation, thankfully. I mean what Paul says in Philippians 2 - “Do nothing from selfish ambition or empty conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests but to the interests of others” (Phil 2:3-4)
What would it look like, practically, today to look to the interests of your neighbors, or spouse, or co-worker ahead of your own interests? Imagine how a simple phone call might encourage someone in your life.
Being great in Jesus’ kingdom is not complicated. It is not simple either. In fact, considering the interest of others as more important than our own is probably the most difficult prospect we face in life. It only comes by grace. And by remembering that this is the very premise of the good news of Jesus - For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. May we strive for greatness - but the right kind of greatness.
Grace and peace,
Pastor Doug