Our Daily Bread -- One Who Serves

May 3, 2015

Read: Luke 22:24-27
Bible in a Year: 1 Kings 14-15; Luke 22:21-46

Yet I am among you as the One who serves. —Luke 22:27

“I’m nobody’s servant!” I cried out. That morning the demands of my family seemed too much as I frantically helped to find my husband’s blue tie, while feeding the crying baby and recovering the lost toy from under the bed for our 2-year-old.

Later on that day, as I was reading the Bible, I came across this verse: “For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves” (Luke 22:27).

Jesus didn’t have to wash His disciples’ feet, yet He did (John 13:5). There were servants who did that job, but Jesus chose to serve them. Today’s society insists that we should aim to “be somebody.” We want the best-paying job, the highest position in the company, the top leadership in church. Yet whatever position we are in, we can learn from our Savior to serve.

We hold different roles as parents, children, friends, workers, leaders, or students. The question is this: Do we carry out those roles with an attitude of service? Even though my everyday routine is sometimes tiring, I’m thankful the Master will help me because I do want to follow His steps and willingly serve others.

May God help us to do this each day. —Keila Ochoa

Dear Lord, I know that You did not come to be served, but to serve. Sometimes I fail to think of others, but I want to be like You. Please give me a heart like Yours.

We need a servant’s attitude to be like Jesus.

INSIGHT: Verse 24 says that the disciples argued about who was the greatest. This was an ongoing dispute because on two earlier occasions they had displayed their desire to be first. They fought while returning to Capernaum (Matt. 18:1-5; Mark 9:33-37; Luke 9:46-48) and again on one of their trips into Jerusalem (Matt. 20:17-28; Mark 10:32-45). Now here, just hours before Jesus was crucified, while the disciples were observing one of their most sacred feasts, the Passover meal, they quarreled over who was the greatest (Luke 22:14-24). Rebuking them, Jesus said that true greatness is determined not by hierarchical authority (v. 25) but by service and humility (v. 26).

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