Wednesday of the Second Week of Lent - March 8, 2023

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Jeremiah 18:18-20 Matthew 20:17-28

In the gospel for today Jesus instructs us “whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.” As our friends at Church of the Resurrection reminded us back in December: Be Just, Kind, Humble.

This call from Jesus does not sound at all like our contemporary world. As you read this it has been 2 weeks since Ash Wednesday, almost 4 weeks since the Super Bowl, and March Madness is about to begin. I can confidently predict that you will not hear any NFL fans or college basketball fans chanting “We want to be your Servants!”

I was raised with the expectation that I should try my best, and work to excel. I should strive to achieve the highest score on the test. I should work hard to provide a comfortable life for my family. Perhaps in that last goal, working hard to provide for others, I am close to living out the challenge that Jesus provides for me today. Choosing to be a servant to those I love is not an unusual/exceptional goal, but living out that goal can be a challenge.

In addition, can I choose to be a servant participant in all the communities (here at Vis, my extended family, the larger community) that surround me with love and support? Competing for attention and complaining about others are selfish habits of mine. Can I replace these habits, by choosing to serve those around me instead, for the rest of this Lent, and all of the Easter Season?

Q: How can I Be Just, Kind, and Humble today? What can I do to be a better servant?

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