The Beautiful Upset: WK3 - THU
THE WAY OF THE WORLD
Mark 10:41–43 (NLT)“When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. So Jesus called them together and said, ‘You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people… But among you it will be different.”
A few years ago, I was sitting in a meeting with a group of leaders, VPs, directors, deans, the kind of room where titles arrive before the people do. The conversation shifted to someone in the community, and one person said, “Oh, let me tell you a story about her.” She explained that years earlier, she hadn’t been to church regularly for a while. Life was full, jobs, marriage, bills, the usual pressures. But after she had her first child, she felt that nudge so many parents feel: Maybe we should give church a try again. So she went, tired, nervous, holding a baby carrier and a bit of hope. When she dropped her little one at the children’s ministry, she met a woman who knew nothing about her resume or accomplishments. She welcomed her, remembered her child’s name and made room for her. And slowly, that warmth drew her and her husband back into the life of the church, first occasionally, then regularly, then deeply. The woman who welcomed her had served in that ministry for over forty years. No spotlight. No platform. No microphone. Just faithful, joyful presence, week after week, year after year.
By the time people realized her impact, she had shaped the spiritual lives of thousands. They wanted to name a wing of the building after her. She politely refused. “I was just doing what needed to be done,” she said. She was the epitome of silent service and hidden greatness. When Jesus gathers His indignant disciples in Mark 10, this is exactly what He is addressing. The world gravitates toward hierarchy, titles, status, power, who’s on top, who gets credit, who gets the corner office or the microphone. But Jesus says, “Not so with you.” In His kingdom, greatness is measured in towels, not thrones. In unseen acts of love, not public displays of influence.
And if we take Jesus seriously, then the true spiritual leaders in any community may not be the ones with strategic plans or charismatic gifts. They may be the ones who change diapers in the nursery, sit with the lonely, show up early to stack chairs, cook meals for grieving families, or offer steady, unnoticed kindness. One day, when Jesus says, “Come sit beside Me,” we may be surprised, deeply surprised, by who takes those seats of honor.
Mark 10:41–43 (NLT)“When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. So Jesus called them together and said, ‘You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people… But among you it will be different.”
A few years ago, I was sitting in a meeting with a group of leaders, VPs, directors, deans, the kind of room where titles arrive before the people do. The conversation shifted to someone in the community, and one person said, “Oh, let me tell you a story about her.” She explained that years earlier, she hadn’t been to church regularly for a while. Life was full, jobs, marriage, bills, the usual pressures. But after she had her first child, she felt that nudge so many parents feel: Maybe we should give church a try again. So she went, tired, nervous, holding a baby carrier and a bit of hope. When she dropped her little one at the children’s ministry, she met a woman who knew nothing about her resume or accomplishments. She welcomed her, remembered her child’s name and made room for her. And slowly, that warmth drew her and her husband back into the life of the church, first occasionally, then regularly, then deeply. The woman who welcomed her had served in that ministry for over forty years. No spotlight. No platform. No microphone. Just faithful, joyful presence, week after week, year after year.
By the time people realized her impact, she had shaped the spiritual lives of thousands. They wanted to name a wing of the building after her. She politely refused. “I was just doing what needed to be done,” she said. She was the epitome of silent service and hidden greatness. When Jesus gathers His indignant disciples in Mark 10, this is exactly what He is addressing. The world gravitates toward hierarchy, titles, status, power, who’s on top, who gets credit, who gets the corner office or the microphone. But Jesus says, “Not so with you.” In His kingdom, greatness is measured in towels, not thrones. In unseen acts of love, not public displays of influence.
And if we take Jesus seriously, then the true spiritual leaders in any community may not be the ones with strategic plans or charismatic gifts. They may be the ones who change diapers in the nursery, sit with the lonely, show up early to stack chairs, cook meals for grieving families, or offer steady, unnoticed kindness. One day, when Jesus says, “Come sit beside Me,” we may be surprised, deeply surprised, by who takes those seats of honor.
- Where do you see worldly power dynamics creeping into your faith community?
- How do you respond internally when others receive recognition you hoped for?
- What might it look like for your church, home, or friendships to be “different”?
By Andreas Beccai
Crosswalk Redlands
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