A Desperate Need to Demonstrate Dominance

Scripture 

But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.’  (Matthew 20:29-25-28 NLT) 

A Desperate Need to Demonstrate Dominance

Today’s title was a favourite phrase of my late, dear friend Holger. He was a successful logistics executive and also loved to own and train horses. We’d go for long rides on a Sunday afternoon and our conversations often went to corporate culture and its similarity to the horses in his stable. 

Holger would point to a horse pushing its way to water and clearly “demonstrating dominance” over other horses and then our conversation might switch to a fellow executive who had the same need to exercise dominance and made life miserable for employee. Yes, dominance is often a shortcut to achievement in many enterprises – business, charitable or spiritual.   

The great writer of the Gospel of John joined his brother in trying to gain dominance in Jesus’ team of twelve, requesting top spots in whatever kingdom he would establish. Jesus had just spoken of his coming betrayal, beating, false trials, execution and resurrection to these same people. They are a good mirror for me to see how easily I miss the point in Jesus’ way of self-denial and servanthood. 

When Jesus said he was giving his life as a ransom for many, it was in the context of this conversation with his aggressive and resentful friends. Perhaps one way he was freeing us was from our slavery to the need to control and dominate others in conversation, family organization or internationally. We see enough sad examples of it in the wars on our screens but see it in microcosm in our behaviour in our mundane routines.  

A Prayer for Today

Loving God, you know us intimately as our creator but as the One who has been one of us. You still choose to make your home among us and yet we easily miss your example or your call to serve. Forgive me when my default to dominate intrudes in my opportunity to serve …. For Jesus’ sake