Many years ago I was a first grade teacher. One of the most exciting weeks for a first grader was to be “student of the week”. That meant, among other privileges, that the person got to be “line leader” every time we left the room. . I remember that person pushing and running to the very front and being so proud every time because they were “first”.
This reminds me of a verse in Matthew 20 that we are reading for today.
“So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
Matthew 20:16
In todays world, most people want to be in a position of authority. They want to be the boss, not the worker. They want to be the head teacher, not the assistent. They want to be the line leader, not the follower or last in line.
Having a position of authority gives a person a feeling that he or she is in control. Authority also makes a person feel superior to others. But, Jesus tells the disciples that the one who wants to be greatest must be the other’s servant or slave.
Regardless of your position in your workplace, home, church, community or who is line leader, you have the ability to serve others with your life. We can use our position in this world to build others up in the love that Jesus Christ has shown us.
In Matthew 20:16, Jesus is not saying that the first will go to the back of the line and the last will go to the front of the line. There is NO first and last. Actually, there is NO line. There is only God. When we accept Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior there is no special treatment. The love of God is unconditional, it does not matter if you are first or last in line.