Success Is Serving

Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.  21  "What is it you want?" he asked.  She said, "Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom." ... 24 When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. 25  Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.
26  Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27  and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—   Matthew 20:20-21 & 24-27

Am I a servant?   I came across this poem in Kent Hughes' book Liberating Ministry from the Success Syndrome.  I pray that it isn't true.

I am like James and John

Lord, I size up other people

in terms of what they can do for me;

how they can further my program,

                    feed my ego,

                               satisfy my needs,

                                give me strategic advantage.

I exploit people,

                                 ostensibly for your sake,

                                  but really for my own sake.

Lord, I turn to you

to get the inside track

and obtain special favors,

                               your direction for my schemes,

                              your power for my projects,

                              your sanction for my ambitions,

                              your blank checks for whatever I want.

I am like James and John.

Robert A. Raines, Creative Brooding (NY: Macmillan, 1996)