“Ye know not what ye ask:” - Jesus (Mark 10:38)
I’ve asked some dumb questions before, none of which I care to recount on this blog, at least not for now. Perhaps you’ve found yourself in the same situation, or even on the other side as you realized that the questions your conversation partner were asking had nothing to do with the answers that he needed. In these awkward moments, most of us try to respond with grace, or perhaps make a graceful exit, as the case would call for. You would think that if there were anyone who would show grace when asked a stupid question, it would be Christ. In this passage though, two disciples came to Christ with a question that brought them no compassion, just an incredulous “what are you thinking?”
Ever since the fall, man has had a crippling bent toward self-promotion. Controlled by his sinful nature, he is continually exploring how he can gain the respect and admiration of others, improve his standing with his peers, and make people think more highly of himself in general. As he looks at other successful people around him, he sees that they are pushing themselves to the max, doing everything they can to put on a good show, and playing everything right with their friends, coworkers, and other resources to position themselves at the front. This isn’t just a game of the unsaved world either, Jesus had to deal with it repeatedly among His own disciples.
In fact, it was this very topic that led Jesus to give His humbling reprimand. In the previous chapter of Mark, Jesus had asked the disciples what they were conversing about on their journey – their lack of a response was telling. Like most Christians today, they knew that there was something spiritually wrong with the desire to be greatest. That doesn’t mean that the desire is not strong and inseparable from our identity though, and it often seems that ignoring that desire is like throwing our lives away, giving up our chance to make something of ourselves and live a life of purpose [1].
To find how best to deal with these desires, we need to consider what Christ told His disciples in Mark 9:35:
“If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.”
Have you ever had the hope ripped from your heart? That is basically what Jesus’ response did to the disciples. I can just imagine their thoughts – “So, if trying to be first will make me last, what does make me first? Or do I become last just for asking? Is it all just chance? Should I stop asking questions now? It just seems like I can’t win.” O, what conundrums we face trying to make ourselves first!
So what is the answer? I know you’ve invested a lot into reading this blog post, but I have to admit that I don’t know. More than that, I don’t think there is an answer that is in your control. In fact, I don’t recommend trying to find the answer to that question, for reasons laid out below. Here are a couple thoughts:
1) One sure way to not be first is to try for it. This is the clearest point from Christ’s response – those who seek to be first will be servant of all. I’m sure you’ve met some people who were spending their lives trying to gain influence and impress people. In God’s eyes, they fail by default.
2) Simply desiring to be first is just about as bad as centering your life on it. Those who long for preeminence need to renew their mind, whether they are acting on that desire or not. The damage to your heart is done whether you live it out or not. Wanting greatness but being to lazy to try is hardly a mark of maturity.
3) Forsaking greatness is the minimum eligibility requirement for attaining it. Be willing to start a servant, live a servant, die a servant, and be forgotten. This doesn’t mean that you find your identity or worth in lowliness or sacrifice, or look down on those who are in more public or powerful roles. It just means that your identity is entirely attached to Christ, and what you are doing is very insignificant in comparison to Who you are doing it for. It matters not to you whether you feel a whip on your back or a crown on your brow, as long as Christ says “well done.”
So did the disciples ask a dumb question? Yes, because the question had no chance of getting them what they truly needed. Can you think of what the right question would be?
[1] The desire for greatness is God-given, but man-corrupted. God is the greatest, and so our desire for greatness should rightly lead us to Him. As children of the fall, our blinded minds naturally assume that we can find the greatness we desire within ourselves. The Bible, with all of history as its witness, shows us that that is simply not possible.
As humans we all fail, but when we die to self, the Holy Spirit can have control in our lives. Satan through humanism, worldly philosophies and media constantly bombards us with the importance of being the best. We need to saturate our minds in the Word of God to realize the truth of who we are (nothing apart from Christ), and to live humbly as Christ demonstrated to us. How often have we heard that JOY comes into our lives as we put Jesus first, others second and ourselves last. By the time we’ve adequately taken care of the first two directives, there won’t be time to waste on ourselves. We can have faith in Almighty God that He will care for our needs, as we are obedient to Him first.
Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. James 4:5-8
When I consider the mere speck of dust that I am in God’s great creation, it is amazing to realize that He desires a personal relationship with each one of us! His power, love and greatness are beyond finite imaginations! May we always give ALL glory and thanksgiving to Him alone!!!