JUNE 21, Matthew 20:20-21

Today’s passage reveals an ugly side of human character that is in every one of us - selfishness. People are selfish. They think of themselves before others. They place themselves above everyone and even above God. This is sin.

Today’s text introduces us to a woman, the mother of 2 disciples of Jesus, James and John, Mrs Zebedee. She approached Jesus and asked for a big favour. What was that? It was to elevate her 2 sons to the most important positions when Jesus rules. Is that a godly request? What does that request show?

It was not godly in a few ways. First of all, she does not understand that the rule of Jesus was not to be on earth, to free the Jews from the Romans. Mrs Zebedee did not understand that the kingdom of Jesus is a spiritual one, not a political one on earth. And what does this request show? It showed her selfishness. Although she did not ask anything for herself, by asking for her 2 sons, she was putting them ahead of all others. Did Jesus accede to her request? Of course not!

We may be like Mrs Zebedee in many ways. Perhaps in the way we pray. We may pray that we will top the class or that your parents may be wealthy. These are not prayers that God would like to hear for they show that we are thinking only of ourselves. It is good and necessary to study hard, but God does not want each and every one of us to top our class. What God wants is for us to try our best in our studies and honour God in the process by being a good Christian while studying hard. And how about wealth for parents? That is also wrong. You could pray for God to bless your parents’ work or give them strength but we should not seek wealth on its own, for we know the love of money is the root (cause) of all kinds of evil.

As you pray, pray right. Even as you study, study right. Don’t be a selfish child!

Thought: Am I selfish?

Prayer: Father in heaven, thank You for the reminder to not be selfish. It is so easy to think of only myself first and I must stop doing that. With Your help, I will put Yourself and others before me. This is my humble cry. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.