Let’s hear it for the boys!

by Major Karen Sandford

MATTHEW 20:20–28

I THINK boys are amazing – especially my three! Strong, funny and cute as a button. What’s not to like! Which is why I can identify with the mother of James and John in Matthew 20:20–28, as she approaches Jesus and asks him for a favour: ‘Promise me that these two sons of mine will sit at your right and your left when you are King’ (v21 all quotations from Good News Bible unless stated otherwise).

At first glance, we could be forgiven for viewing her as just another pushy mother. You know the type: the sun radiates from every inch of her beloved, perfect offspring.

What on earth was she thinking? Wasn’t she the worst kind of mother, trying to live her life through her children? But who can honestly say they wouldn’t do the same given the circumstances? A little bit of motherly intervention can go a long way!

‘You don’t know what you are asking for,’ Jesus answered the sons. ‘Can you drink the cup of suffering that I am about to drink?’

‘We can,’ they answered. ‘You will indeed drink from my cup… but I do not have the right to choose who will sit at my right and my left. These places belong to those for whom my Father has prepared them’ (vv22 and 23).

The other disciples are furious when they find out (v24). But Jesus, in his infinite patience and wisdom, reminds them that although the world they know – as subjects of Rome – is one of power, position, ambition and dominance, his Kingdom is just the opposite.

‘If one of you wants to be great, you must be the servant of the rest; and if one of you wants to be first, you must be the slave of the others, like the Son of Man, who did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life to redeem many people’ (vv26–28).

American evangelist John MacArthur writes: ‘Every one of us, just like the apostles, needs to understand that true greatness lies not in dominance but in service; we all need the repeated lesson that to be great in the Kingdom is to be humble in service; we need the repeated reminder that our central ambition should be to minister to others, not to be admired by others!’

As a church of disciples, we must serve the world in which we live and we must serve each other. We are called to communities. We are to be the living word of God to the people who need to see the love of God in action. But we need to be aware that our ministry may often be beset by the temptation to look for and hold on to power and prestige.

This woman in Matthew’s Gospel is nameless – known only as the wife of Zebedee or the mother of James and John. She is thought to have been Salome.

Her story shows a life filled with passion and purpose. Imagine being known first as a devoted follower of Jesus, and also as the mother of the ‘sons of thunder’ (Mark 3:17 Authorised Version). Her devotion to Christ and his ministry is evident, as she stands at the foot of the cross (see Mark 15:40 and 41). At a time when others were running scared, she continued – with several other women – to finish what needed to be done.

‘The cost of true greatness is humble, selfless, sacrificial service,’ writes MacArthur. ‘The Christian who desires to be great and first in the Kingdom is the one who is willing to serve in the hard place, the uncomfortable place, the lonely place, the demanding place, the place where he is not appreciated and may even be persecuted. He is willing to work for excellence without becoming proud, to withstand criticism without becoming bitter, to be misjudged without becoming defensive, and to withstand suffering without succumbing to self-pity.’

Salome’s life shows that she was aware of this. Pushy mother? I don’t think so. Just a mother whose fierce love for her children meant that she made the occasional mistake.
Jesus knew and understood that. Thankfully, he still does.

• Major Sandford is the corps officer at Caterham