OUR LORD WHO SERVES OTHERS AS AN EXAMPLE TO US

The book of James chapter 1 verse 9 says this;

But the brother of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position;

This paradoxical maxim charges those who are poor to revel in the high position that the Lord has placed them. This sounds contradictory but a survey of the new covenant reveals that similar inversions occur in many aspects of the kingdom of God.

For example, when Jesus was teaching the sermon on the mount, He  laid out four scenarios in Mathew 5 verses 3 - 6 where the lowly are shown to be highly placed in the kingdom of God.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Here, those who are weak or deficient are strong in the spirit and have riches in the kingdom of Christ.

An exhortation to deliberately humble ourselves if we are to gain any stature in the kingdom of God is found in Mathew 23 verse 12 which goes like this;

For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

Similarly, in John 23 verse 11, it says;

The greatest among you will be your servant. 

To rise in the kingdom of God, we must serve others rather than aim to lead others for the kingdom of God is a kingdom of love and righteousness and responsibility where serving one another is the coin of the realm.

Jesus our Lord, the high and exalted King of kings and Lord of Lords knelt on the floor to wash  his disciples' feet as an example to them of His inverted kingdom of servanthood.

Let us follow our Lord's example and be humble servants of all people.

Amen.