A Backward Way of Thinking

It's haunted us since kindergarten. Through grade-school, middle school, and high-school we knew. It's NOT cool to be the last one picked. Most of us have had the experience of standing on the baseball diamond or the basketball court with a group of our peers, holding our breath, waiting to hear our name. But someone had to be last, and sometimes that someone was us. Many of us carry that picture with us for the rest of our life. We make a secret promise to ourselves that someday, we'll be the first one picked. Everyone will want us to be on their team.

Then, along comes a man named Jesus. We think, "I've heard about him! If I get to know him, I bet everybody will want me on their team. Life will be great. I'll finally be the first one picked." God just smiles and says, "You come play for my team, and I'll show you how this works."

Jesus explained to his disciples this very thing, even as they were calling dibs on the "front seats" in heaven.

"You've observed how godless rulers throw their weight around, how quickly a little power goes to their heads. It's not going to be that way with you. Whoever wants to be great must become a servant. Whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave. That is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve, not be served—and then to give away his life in exchange for the many who are held hostage." Matthew 20:25-28 (The Message).

I have a hard time wrapping my mind around this concept. Perhaps it goes back to those playground experiences. I naturally want to be first. I want it to be about me. But it's NOT about me.

There's something strange about this though. On those rare occasions when I find myself at the top of the pyramid,it's not necessasrily everything I thought it would be. Of course there are times when it feels great to be number one, for a while at least. But when my only motivation is to be first and I put all my energy toward that goal, when I finally make it there I find my hands are empty. My trophy turned to dust, sifting through my fingers, carried away by the wind.

Oddly enough, the opposite seems to happen when I choose to focus my efforts on building somebody else up. When I choose to willingly be the last player picked, for the sake of someone else, God rewards my efforts. That doesn't always mean being the first one picked, at least not here on earth. But if I want to be in the starting line-up on God's team, I must be willing to be last here one earth.

I love how Jesus describes it, "Here it is again, the Great Reversal: many of the first ending up last, and the last first." Matthew 20:16 (The Message).

Here is another byproduct when we choose to do things God's way:

"...those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed." Proverbs 11:25.

I guess he knew what He was talking about.

I wonder, what would happen if I was having a bad day, and instead of complaining, "I need someone to encourage me," I looked around for someone else who needed help out of the pit of despair, and held out my hand to them? It's what God does for me every day. And after all...

"...I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." Matthew 25:40.

Lord, expand my vision. Open my eyes to see beyond myself. Open my eyes to the opportunities to be a servant, even to be last, so that You can be first. Help me to see them as opportunites to please you, and help me not to grumble. Jesus was my ultimate example. Help me never forget to be grateful for His choice to be last, so that I could be on Your team. Thank you.