Let Go Of Our Fools' Gold

Scotty Smith:  A Prayer for Those Who Want to Be Great and First

     “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:43-45
     

     Dear Jesus, surely, the gospel is the most counter-intuitive, paradigm-shattering, worldview-transforming force in history. Because of you, true greatness is now measured in terms of being a servant rather than owning the estate. Being first is no longer calculated by how many slaves we own, rather, by how many people we serve.
     What an incredibly powerful Lord you are, redeeming the huge mess we’ve made of your world. What a most gracious Savior you are, giving your own life as the necessary price to make all things new. We prostrate ourselves before you with wonder, love and praise. We rise to dance before you as a people astonished at such love and affection.
    Jesus, tattoo these words on our hearts with indelible ink; make them the most replayed song in the iPod of our soul; keep them before our eyes with neon-flashing brilliance: “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
     These words—this truth contradicts our most basic instincts about everything, including salvation. We don’t want to be ransomed, as guilty rebels; we want to be coddled, as misunderstood victims. We want a second chance, not a second birth. Forgive us, Jesus.
     In our marriages, too often, we don’t come to serve, but to be served, and to give our criticisms about many things. As leaders in your church, we tend to confuse greatness with exercising power and authority, rather than washing feet and nurturing your lambs. Forgive us, Jesus.
     Only you have the right to determine the value and price tags for everything. Help us to treasure what you treasure, and let go of our fools’ gold. Continue to free us from upward mobility for downward stick-to-it-tiveness. Let us actually prefer the hidden place of service over the public place of being noticed.
    Jesus, only you can change our hearts, and grace always runs downhill, always. We tremble to ask this, but expose our pride; humble our attitudes; and soften our hearts. Make us glad to be your servants.  So very Amen, we pray, in your kind and powerful name.