Nov 29 2019 Matthew 20:17-28

You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. It will not be so among you; but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave
Jesus continues his march towards Jerusalem, towards his execution. On their way, the mother of the sons of Zebedee asked if her two boys could sit at Jesus’ right and left hand. He explains that he cannot offer that, and meanwhile the remaining disciples were testy that the two tried to elbow their way in to a position of prestige. Jesus tries to explain that the yardstick by which the world measures things has to do with greatness and power. But that his yardstick has more to do with serving. Whoever wishes to be great must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first must be slave.

It seems that from the beginning of time, we have attached value to the powerful, we strive to be that. Is it because we don’t want others to exert power over us, because we don’t want to be power-less? Or is it because we want to be the powerful ourselves, to exert the power over others?

How is it that we opt out of that power economy and instead chose a servant economy? Throughout Jesus’ ministry, he tries to dismantle the power economy, to encourage other ways of measuring our value and worth, and yet it remains, and we remain allured by power and wealth and prestige.

Today is known as ‘black Friday’, a day where people around the world double-down on buying things to save money, or for the sport of the hunt. Even this, trying to save money for lovely gifts for family and friends is all wrapped up in this economy of wealth.

How is it, with the insidious ways this power and wealth economy is everywhere I see, how is it that I can make persistent and intentional choices to operate from that other way? Where I strive to be servant, to be less, to have less, to help more, to give more?

Sunday is the first day of Advent, the first day of the new church year, when we prepare for the birth of Jesus, celebrated at Christmas. It’s a time of self-reflection. Last year, I started my year of writing by participating in a national campaign where different words were offered daily, and people were encouraged to write or take pictures, reflecting on that #AdventWord. This year, I will continue my morning prayer practice, and perhaps build in something intentional for the various church seasons, starting with Advent.  

  

This morning, I’m thinking about how during Advent, I can live and reflect an economy of servant leadership, of valuing love and helping, of not being the first, or getting the best seat. I wonder what it will feel like to actively shun the popular culture values of wealth, power, more, better, during this season when those very values are in every commercial, and store. Today I want to begin to construct my alternate economy scheme for Advent, developing my hints and hacks to counter the messages that come from the great ones described by Jesus.