Eternal Power Struggle

Mark 10:35-45:

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” He replied, “What do you wish me to do for you?” They answered him, “Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left.” Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” They said to him, “We can.” Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink, you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared.” When the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John. Jesus summoned them and said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Blog:

The irony about power is that while many thirst for it, too few wield it appropriately once they achieve it.  This is due to their true intentions for gaining the power in the first place.  For many, it’s all about “first place”.  It is rare to find True Servant Leaders.  Even the Apostles struggled with the Power of the Holy Spirit that was about to be bestowed upon them.  So, we shouldn’t be too hard on ourselves when we fall short in this regard, as well.  Power is for God alone – it is not for man.  Any Power that we have is allowed by God.  While this world has a lot of hierarchies, governments, institutions, etc., there are too few that have God’s and/or other people’s best interests at heart.  Jesus calls us to be last and this is counter-intuitive to what we see in our hyper-aggressive, “dog-eat-dog” world.  Remember, the J.O.Y. Principle that a bunch of elementary school Kids came-up with years ago at their Catholic School.  Jesus first, Others second, and Yourself last.  It’s by Serving others like Jesus did (and still does today) that we will only find our True Joy and Peace.