Greatness in the Shape of a Cross

“Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve.” 1 Peter 5:2

This is where we stopped yesterday; Jesus calls us to serve, but insists our service flows from grace, not guilt. In God’s upside-down kingdom, true greatness isn’t seized through status or recognition. It is received as a gift and expressed through service.

We all feel the tug. At work, in our families, even in church, it’s easy to keep score: Am I respected? Is my voice heard? Do people see my value? The disciples felt this too; arguing on the road (Mark 9:33–35), at the table (Luke 22:24–27), and through ambitious requests (Matthew 20:20–28). It’s a very human desire to matter, to be first.

Jesus doesn’t shame this desire. He redefines it by revealing its source:

“Want to be first? Go to the back of the line and serve everyone there.” (Mark 9:35)

“The world’s rulers lord it over people. Not you. The greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the leader like a servant.” (Luke 22:25–26)

“The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life.” (Matthew 20:28)

This is our model: greatness in the shape of a cross. Leadership in the form of a towel.
Out text says, ‘Not because you must’ so if we hear this only as a new command—“You must become the servant, or you fail”—we’ve missed the point. That turns service into a joyless performance, another ladder to climb, and ironically fuels the very pride Jesus is dismantling. Paul gives us the key: “…not because you must, but because you are willing” (Philippians 2:13 paraphrased). Our service is not a burden to earn God’s love. It is a response to the love we have already freely received.

Imagine a friend who once pulled you from a burning building. Years later, someone asks, “Why are you so loyal to them? Do you have to be?”
You wouldn’t answer out of obligation. You would say, “You don’t understand what they did for me. Being there for them isn’t a ‘have to.’ It’s my ‘get to.’ It’s who I am now.”

That’s the heart of kingdom service. The call to serve is never meant to crush or coerce; it is an invitation to live from the love that has already reached us. And the more we embrace it, the more our influence flows not from fear or control, but from generosity, humility, and joy.

Serving from here, there are no temptation to compare, compete, or hold onto influence. Jesus invites us to step off that treadmill. To trust that our value does not come from position, approval, or control. Our worth is secure when we follow him and serve others, even in small, unseen ways.

Where are you chasing recognition instead of blessing others? Where have you measured your worth by status rather than obedience? What would it look like for you to serve today without keeping score?

Lord Jesus, keep my serving rooted in your grace, not guilt.Free me from striving, control, and the need to be first.Give me a willing heart, eager to serve, shaped by your love.Teach me to lead your way.Amen.

Kay Alli