Who would Jesus Promote?

Jesus is often hypothetically placed in the modern world allowing us to speculate what He would do. Some have asked what kind of car Jesus would drive, how he would vote, or if He would eat bagels. Some of these are blasphemous in nature, but others are provocative.

We ought to wonder how He would react in certain circumstances so that we can take His lead. That’s why I wonder, just who would Jesus promote?

The answer to this question isn’t so elusive.

Look at the Sons of Thunder, James and John. We’re told that their mother came to Jesus with her own request for a promotion. “Let one of them sit at Your right and the other at your left in glory.”

That’s bold stuff coming from a mother who was obviously proud of her boys. Her request caused uproar among the others. But Jesus refused her request, because one of those seats was already taken. Perhaps a better lesson would have been to model humility to her sons.

I have to face my own music. When I wanted that promotion, was it for the right reason? Did pride, power, money or status enter into my mind?

Jesus proceeded to tell the others this: “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.”

Humility is a backward way into a job — servanthood, service, and picking up the rear go against the current corporate structure. Can this servanthood principle really work today?