“‘你们中间谁愿为大，就必作你们的用人；谁愿为首，就必作你们的仆人。’” - 太 20:26-27

在1992年，美国佛罗里达州数以千计的屋顶被飓风安德鲁严重损坏了。过了不久，一则关于三位母亲在餐馆相聚时的幽默故事，开始在坊间传流。其中一位母亲自豪地谈到她的律师儿子，另一位则说她的儿子是医生；但当第三位母亲说她的儿子是盖屋顶的工人时，餐馆中所有的顾客都蜂涌至她的座位，要获取他儿子的电话号码。

雅各和约翰仍未明白关于耶稣的奥秘 － 但他们知道祂的作为是非同凡向的，所以，不论祂作什么，他们都希望能够在其中占据特别的地位。于是他们的母亲便提出这个特别的请求：“让我的儿子成为你的左右手！”

其余十个门徒生气了，因为他们也希望在耶稣赐的能力和权利中居于榜首。

于是耶稣叫了他们来，要澄清一下祂做事的原则。在政府和大部份其他制度中，坐最高位的有最大的权柄 － 但耶稣说：“只是在你们中间不可这样。”跟从耶稣意味着奉祂的名去爱邻舍。对跟从耶稣的人来说，为首的就要率先作仆人。

在走上十字架的前一个晚上，耶稣为祂的门徒洗脚时，祂向他们重申这个教导：“我给你们作了榜样，叫你们照着我向你们所做的去做”（约翰福音 13:15）。

（AM）

祷告

我们的主和老师，你来到世上，为要爱我们和为我们的益处服事我们，求你帮助我们，也奉你的名效法你去爱我们的邻舍并为他们的好处服事他们。阿们。

马太福音 20:20-28

20那时，西庇太儿子的母亲同她两个儿子上前来拜耶稣，求他一件事。
21耶稣说：“你要什么呢？”她说：“愿你叫我这两个儿子在你国里，一个坐在你右边，一个坐在你左边。”
22耶稣回答说：“你们不知道所求的是什么。我将要喝的杯，你们能喝吗？”他们说：“我们能。”
23耶稣说：“我所喝的杯，你们必要喝；只是坐在我的左右，不是我可以赐的，乃是我父为谁预备的，就赐给谁。”
24那十个门徒听见，就恼怒他们弟兄二人。
25耶稣叫了他们来，说：“你们知道，外邦人有君王为主治理他们，有大臣操权管束他们。
26只是在你们中间不可这样，你们中间谁愿为大，就必做你们的用人；
27谁愿为首，就必做你们的仆人。
28正如人子来不是要受人的服侍，乃是要服侍人，并且要舍命做多人的赎价。”

Number-one Neighbor

“Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave.” - Matthew 20:26-27

The roofs of thousands of Florida homes were badly damaged by Hurricane Andrew in 1992. Soon afterward, a humorous story circulated about three mothers in a restaurant. One spoke proudly of her lawyer son, and another of her son, a doctor. But when the third mother said that her son was a roofer, all the customers stormed her table to ask for his phone number.

James and John did not yet understand what Jesus was all about—but they knew it was BIG, and they wanted a special place in whatever it was. So their mother made this special request: “Make my boys your number one and your number two!”

The ten other disciples were furious, because they too wanted to be first in Jesus’ order of power and privilege.

Jesus called a meeting to clarify his guiding principles. In government and most other systems, the highest positions have the greatest authority—but “not so with you,” Jesus said. To follow Jesus is to love your neighbors for his sake. A top follower of Jesus is a top servant.

This is the lesson Jesus reiterated when he washed his disciples’ feet, the night before he went to the cross: “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you” (John 13:15).

(AM)

Prayer

Lord and Teacher, just as you came into the world to love us and serve for our good, help us to love our neighbors and serve for their good, for your sake. Amen.