John Wesley wrote: “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can and as long as you can.”

I read that again; I've heard it quoted over the years. If you don’t mind, let me share a quote I often give. I can’t recall if I heard this or who first said it, but in today’s church, we get all we can, can all we get, then sit on the lid!

We often struggle to understand certain concepts. Reading the Gospels reveals that even the disciples took a considerable amount of time to grasp Jesus' simple teachings. I want to highlight one key lesson: if you desire greatness, then serve.

In Matthew 10:17-34, James and John reveal their misunderstanding of greatness. They asked their mother to persuade Jesus to grant them the highest positions in His kingdom. I imagine Jesus, when hearing this request, simply shook His head, indicating they did not grasp the true meaning of greatness.

Achieving a high position in Jesus’ kingdom requires drinking His cup (vv. 22,23, 23), which hindsight reveals as death on the cross (vv. 17-19). Jesus seeks to clarify that worldly authority involves lording over others, but His example was that of a servant — literally a slave — prioritizing others' needs above his own (vv. 25-28). Despite this, the disciples remained unaware of the true meaning. Perhaps we, too, are often clueless about how the church operates today, as it has transformed into more of a business than a ministry.

After this encounter, Jesus will guide His disciples away from Jericho, up the road to Jerusalem, where He will eventually face His death on the cross. He must have felt heavy-hearted, knowing what was to come. As they walk along, two blind men, hearing the crowd say that Jesus was approaching, cry out. The crowd tries to silence them, but they shout even louder. Jesus then stops, calls them over, and asks, “What do you want Me to do for you?” Ultimately, it becomes clear that greatness in Jesus' kingdom involves pausing to address the needs of others. It means putting aside our own pain and concerns temporarily, listening attentively, and asking, “What do you want me to do for you?”

Although we might seem small to others, following Christ’s example of serving others will make us great in God's eyes.

Here’s a challenge for all of us: why not start each day by asking God for an opportunity to serve?

Because of Calvary,

Gene