Daily Devotional for Monday 10th June
GOAT
The other day I happened to overhear a conversation between some young people talking about the ‘GOAT’. I couldn’t for the life of me work out why these kids were discussing goats! It wasn’t until I asked my kids later that evening, that I realised they were trying to decide who was the Greatest Of All Time!
The conversation I overheard was about footballers, but in our reading today the disciples were trying to decide amongst themselves who of them was the greatest. In fact, the conversation must have got so heated that it caused an argument between them. How embarrassing it must have been when Jesus asked them what they had been arguing about, no wonder they kept quiet.
But Jesus in His gentle nature doesn’t immediately rebuke His disciples, once they arrive at the house they were travelling to, He sits down and calls them to Him and explains what it means to be a follower of Christ.
I love the intimacy in this passage between Jesus and His disciples. Jesus didn’t want anyone to know where they were because He wanted to spend some time alone with His disciples to teach them what was going to happen, and how He would have to die. They didn’t understand – yet, but we see Jesus’ patience with them as He doesn’t get frustrated with their inability to grasp what He’s trying to tell them.
Jesus helps the disciples understand that being a follower of Him means not wanting to be the first – the GOAT, but by being the very last, and the servant of all. I wonder if they looked at Him with puzzled faces, still not getting it, as Jesus then uses the visual aid of child to emphasise what He’s saying. He takes the little child into His arms and says that ‘Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name, welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.’ A child is seen as the least important, but in Jesus eyes we are all of infinite value to Him.
As disciples of Christ, we seek to follow Jesus in all that we do. He modelled perfect servanthood for us, leading Him to die on the cross in our place. When we serve others, not only do we welcome them, we welcome Jesus and His Father in heaven too.
Time to reflect…
Spend some time reflecting on this passage from Philippians 2:5-11.
What does it mean for you to have the same mindset at Christ today?
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Pause to Pray….
Lord Jesus, you took on the nature of a servant and yet you are truly the Greatest Of All Time. We’re sorry for the times we think more highly of ourselves that we ought. Thank you for your gentleness and patience with us as we seek to follow you more closely. Thank you that you long to spend time with us on our own, to teach us more of you. Amen.
