43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,
44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.
45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
What Jesus teaches here is totally opposite of what the world says. The world teaches that those who are the most ambitious and the most talented will be first. Those who keep their self-interests safe will definitely be successful. According to Jesus, that's not so. One can only attain greatness by being a servant, even slave, those around you. In other words, humility is key to the "greatness" that Jesus refers to. This "greatness" is not the self-glorifying attribute that the world defines it as. It is a greatness in the eyes of God. Jesus is the ultimate example of this greatness. He, the Son of God, stepped down into the world of man in order to be humiliated, beaten, and killed for the sake of man's salvation.
Many times, I'm tempted to fall into the trap of thinking that I am great because I lead this and that and have such and such responsibilities. Pride is so dangerous. I must constantly remind myself that a heart of service is what glorifies God, not the self-glorifying responsibilities that I have.
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