“A dispute also arose among them as to which of them
was considered to be greatest. Jesus said to them...”
Luke 22:24-25a
The disciples were having a spat!
A dispute!
Not just any disagreement, this was over which of them
would be considered the greatest!
We can all stand on this end of the narrative
centuries later and pontificate about how wrong it was of them to be even
having this argument but what I really want to capture is the timing of it all
as well as Jesus’ response.
This conversation took place mere hours before Jesus’
arrest, crucifixion and death.
Talk about awful timing...
And yet Jesus patiently, lovingly turns this into one
of the most important teaching moments for Peter, James, John and the others.
I have to admit – I probably would have lost it!
“I’m about to die and this is all you have to chatter
about?!”
But not Jesus.
Instead His words include these:
“But I am among you as one who
serves.”
These were not only words He spoke to teach them but they
were also quite literally actions He was living out before them all at that
very moment.
I am afraid my lesson plan would have been different
and would have included anger and impatience.
But not Jesus.
He served them; in this case by gently teaching them,
at a time we might
rightly expect that others should be ministering to Him!
How do you treat people at those times that you are
facing great battles?
Do they feel the wrath of your stress and frustration
or do you, even in the most difficult of times, reveal the Fathers’ love to
them?
We wouldn’t blame Jesus if the next verse after the
dispute had erupted said something like...and Jesus withdrew to a solitary
place.
But it doesn’t and He didn’t!
Let His teaching moment to them be your homework
challenge for today!
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