The Mirror of the Word and other works by C.E. White can be purchased on her website, cewhitebooks.com or on Amazon.

“‘Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you . . . Grant that we may sit, one on your right and one on your left, in your glory.’ But Jesus said to them, ‘You do not know what you are asking.’”

—Mark 10:35–38

These disciples didn’t yet understand that in the kingdom of God, the least is the greatest (Luke 9:48), and the greatest is a humble servant (Matthew 23:11–12). They sought glory and honor, not servanthood.

As Jesus went on to explain, “Whoever wants to become prominent among you shall be your servant; and whoever wants to be first among you shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:43–45).

Any glory we have in heaven will not be because we had great power, position, or success in this life. It will be because we made ourselves servants as Christ himself did.

The most jeweled crowns in heaven will likely be worn by people no one ever heard of—the godly janitors, the ordinary women who love every child as their own, and the people who diligently and thanklessly provided for their families in unfulfilling jobs.

When we’re willing to work for the kingdom of God despite the lack of notoriety or praise, we’re serving like Christ. When we humbly set aside our own desires, comfort, and lives for the good of others, we’re serving like Christ. When we live only for the hope of hearing the words, “well done,” from our heavenly Father instead of any man’s approval or earthly rewards, we’re serving like Christ.

Let us seek to be servants, not masters.

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