Insignificant status
Your status doesn't matter to God.
James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him, ‘Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.’ And he said to them, ‘What is it you want me to do for you?’ And they said to him, ‘Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.'
Something to think about
James and John were two of Jesus’ closest disciples but, even being that close to Jesus, they still managed to make mistakes! Sometimes they are criticised for wanting a position of authority, a position that puts them above others.
There may certainly be an element of this but I think there may also have been a real desire just to be close to Jesus and to spend even more time in his company. For that, they can hardly be criticised, but what they missed was the realisation that Jesus was with them anyway, wherever they were.
All of us have times when we like to feel important or where we want to spend time with someone we see as important but, like James and John, we are called to recognise that Jesus reaches out to us wherever we are.
Christian Aid has a real concern for the poor and a confidence that poverty can be ended – and that confidence comes from an assurance that Jesus doesn’t have different ranks of people, with some sitting more closely to him than others. His love for each of us is unlimited and unconditional.