Welcome to Day 167 of the “Manna for the Mind 2.0” devotional! This series is about finding nourishment in the Word of God to get us through the day. In each devotional, I take a variety of scripture passages (typically 1-3 verses each) and build our understanding of what they teach via their context and connecting scripture. My goal is to help you understand how to be the type of human God created you to be. Today’s passage is Mark 9:35.

Mark 9:35

NASB	NLT	VOICE
35 And sitting down, He called the twelve and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.”	35 He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.”	35 He sat down with the twelve to teach them. JESUS: Whoever wants to be first must be last, and whoever wants to be the greatest must be the servant of all.

Serving others is a sign of real leadership. Not thinking of yourself as high and mighty or super important but taking care of your team to serve their needs to maximize the best possible outcome. Jesus described leadership in this way. Instead of using people, we are called to serve people. The mission of Jesus was to serve others and to give his life away. It unfortunately led to his death, but it was a death that rescued us all from our sin and gave a right relationship with God. To give our life away doesn’t necessarily mean that we will die (although there could be situations where that could happen.) It means that we continue to put the needs of others above our own. We do what we need to take care of ourselves, but we don’t put our actions outside of that in front of the needs of others.

A real leader has a servant’s heart. Servant leaders appreciate those around them and their worth and realize that they are not above any job. It’s putting the person first, instead of the title or the job. If you see something that needs to be done, whether that be at home, at work, or at church, don’t wait to be asked to do it. Just do it. Take the initiative and do it faithfully. Don’t do either for the accolades, appreciation, or the clout. Do it in obedience to God to take care of his creation. Don’t approach life expecting to receive high positions, honors, and privileges.

When I took my first job as a youth director, this was my mindset: “I not only get to do what I love, but I get paid for it.” Would I still have did youth ministry work if I didn’t get the job? Absolutely. The idea is that you follow where God has called you to serve and allow him to rise you through the ranks.

Matthew 20:27

NASB	NLT	VOICE
27 and whoever desires to be first among you shall be your slave;	27 and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave.	27 whoever wants to be first must bind himself as a slave –

It’s important to understand the Greek word for “slave” in this context because it has the potential to paint God and Christianity in a negative light.

Slave is the Greek noun doulos “doo-los”. It comes from the Hebrew word that’s often translated as “servant” or “slave” in the Old Testament, which is used to describe people who serve or serve God. The Greek word can refer to a literal slave (someone who was legally owned by another and whose entire livelihood and purpose are decided by their master.) It can also be used to metaphorically describe someone devoted to another so much that they disregard  their own interests. Typically referred to God’s followers. In the Greco-Roman world, slavery was common, and a doulos was a person that had no personal freedom and was submissive to their master. Typically, in the New Testament, this term describes the relationship between God’s followers and Christ, emphasizing the voluntary roles in the relationship out of devotion and love.

It can be very easy to read the world slave and be turned away from the message behind in today’s time and culture because of the historical context of that word, but we must remember that the term is a metaphor in this context and represents people like you and me. People who are dedicated to following God and committed to his interests and plans for us. We put God’s will in front of our own and follow in faith that path that he has set before us.

Next meal: Manna for the Mind #168