Thursday, June 15, 2023

       And the other Disciples were angry with them.  James and John (& their mom) had guts.  They took it upon themselves to make a shocking request: “Give us positions of honor.”  I’ve often found it easy to criticize these brothers.  How dare they!  But that puts me in the company with the other Ten.  The others were angry, not that James and John made the request, but that the brothers might gain an advantage over them.

       For years, I watched other pastors do things and ask for things with a sense of horror.  I said: “I’d never do that” – not because I didn’t want “that”, but – because I didn’t want to be seen as wanting “that”.  And like the Ten, I was angry.  How sad to see that in myself, to see me in the Ten, to see me in God’s Word.  O God, forgive my lack of humility, for the pride with which I pretended humility.  Knock me down until all I see is You, all I seek is Your will, all I do is serve You and not myself.  Amen!