“You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.” Matt. 20:25-26
Lord Jesus, you give us a chilling picture of power-hungry leadership in this passage. Like a fast-spreading virus, lording-over gets passed down the “food chain.” Controlled people like to control others. The shamed shame. The stressed tend to stress others.
“Not so with you,” you said to your disciples. True greatness, according to you, is “lording under.” Leaders getting low, very low. To use a scepter to control people only requires a bad attitude, sitting down on a throne, and barking orders. To use a towel to wash feet requires humility, a servant’s heart, and getting all the way down on our knees. You immediately come to mind and heart, Jesus.
Your curriculum vitae (CV) is pretty impressive: You created the entire universe (Col. 1:16; John 1:3), and sustain all things by the power of your word (Heb. 1:3) You are the ruler of the kings of the earth (Rev. 1:5), and are currenting making all things new (Rev. 21:5). One Day all things in heaven and on earth will be summed up in you (Eph. 1:10).
YET—so gloriously yet you took the lowest place imaginable. You didn’t just stoop to wash our feet, you died to wash our hearts. Your cross is quintessential greatness, revolutionary leadership—our only hope, and the surety of our salvation. As the Lord over all things, you are the Lord who got under the weight of our sin, taking the judgment we deserve. Humbled and grateful, we go with you into our marriages, parenting, vocations, boardrooms, friending, and neighboring, as servants. So Very Amen.