What's in it for Me?

On this third Sunday in Lent, we look at the story of James and John and their request of Jesus. When living in our day to day, it can be simple to apply the same rules of the world onto our understanding of faith. In this story from Mark, James and John ask Jesus for a promotion, to be seated on his right and left side. They ask this in a misunderstanding of what the Kingdom of God is. They equate it to the same thing as a kingdom on earth; with a ruler, a court, an army etc. They want to be situated in a high spot when the time comes. But the realm of God does not work the same way as our understanding. In order to be first, one must be last. To be a disciple of Christ is to be a servant to all, without condition, or status. In this time of Lent, we must consider all those who do not have what we have, and re-commit to our calling to be servants to all. We must not allow ourselves to be blinded by the question "What's in it for Me?"