“You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:42b-45)
In the quarrel the disciples have over greatness we see one of the major ways in which people fail to serve God wholeheartedly: the desire for and pursuit of fame, riches and wealth. Many people people think that their money will buy happiness, security, and even eternal salvation. Some confuse riches with being blessed and accepted by God. Others fail to serve God by thinking they can earn their way into heaven by doing good deeds, performing religious rituals, or appearing pious and holy. Such people are trusting in their own abilities and not God.
Many Christians act in a similar manner. Many only serve Jesus outwardly largely because of what they think they can get: glory, prestige, fame, power, even a sense of community and self worth. Jesus rightly rebuked His disciples for such hypocrisy and selfishness. As He did so, He set down the one basic principle which must characterize every true disciple, the one which summarizes and encapsulates His ministry: humble servanthood not selfishness. A true disciple forsakes his own way to serve others and thereby serve God. This is imitation of Jesus Himself who surrendered the glory of heaven for a time to become just like us, a human being. And what is more, He came to take on our sins and suffer our punishment. If we wish to follow Him we too must lay down our lives for others, our enemies as well as our friends and loved ones.