Monday, March 18, 2024

In our society, we are taught from a young age that we must work hard and be successful to be the best—the best in our class, the best in our workplace, and the best versions of ourselves every day. Striving for excellence is not bad, but it can become an issue when we prioritize our best above everything else. Unfortunately, this behavior is part of human nature. 

In Mark 9:33-39, even Jesus’ disciples were guilty of arguing which one of them was the greatest among the twelve.

Mark 9:33-34
³³ After they arrived at Capernaum and settled in a house, Jesus asked his disciples, “What were you discussing out on the road?” ³⁴ But they didn’t answer, because they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest.

In this passage, the disciples did not answer Jesus’ question because they were preoccupied with being the best. Even though this is a hard truth, I believe that each of us can relate. How often do we fail to hear Jesus in our daily lives because we are placing our focus in the wrong places? 

I’m guilty. If I do not reach the top, I beat myself up for not being the best. Most of the time, this is caused by pride. The disciples failed to follow the humility of Christ—their pride overshadowed Jesus’ words and neglected his teachings. Pride is dangerous because it often gets in the way of our relationship with God and those around us.

In verse 35, Jesus reminds the disciples of where their priorities should be. Instead of centering our lives around ourselves, we must serve those around us. This is not an easy task, but all things are possible when we let God take the reins and carefully follow his instructions.

Mark 9:35
He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.”

Rather than falling into the trap of pride and focusing our lives on our worldly image, let us follow in the footsteps of our Savior and serve those around us. Let us replace our pride with love for Christ and love for others. It is only through sacrifice and humility that we can truly live our lives as God intended.

Questions:
Which areas of your life do you prioritize most?

What happens to our relationship with God when we focus on pride instead of humility?

Next Steps:
This week, practice an act of kindness. Take an opportunity to self-sacrifice, humbling yourself before God and others.

Pray about your priorities to God, asking him which areas of your life you could work on giving to him.

Prayer:
Jesus, I praise you for giving your life in sacrifice, so I may experience eternal life. Please give me the courage to replace pride with humility and help me prioritize my relationship with you above anything else. Allow me to find ways where I can place the needs of others before my own. Thank you for showing me how to practice self-sacrifice. Amen.

This post was written by Isabelle Billnitzer, a regular contributor to the LivingItOut Devotional.