Recently I was among the last in line to board a large passenger jet with unassigned seating. I located a middle seat beside the wing, but the only spot for my bag was the overhead compartment by the very last row. This meant I had to wait for everyone to leave before I could go back and retrieve it.

I laughed as I settled into my seat and a thought occurred to me that seemed to be from the Lord: “It really won’t hurt you to wait. It will actually do you good.” So I resolved to enjoy the extra time, helping other passengers lower their luggage after we landed and assisting a flight attendant with cleaning. By the time I was able to retrieve my bag, I laughed again when someone thought I worked for the airline.

That day’s experience made me ponder Jesus’s words to His disciples: “If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all” (Mark 9:35).

I waited because I had to, but in Jesus’s “upside down” kingdom, there’s a place of honor for those who voluntarily set themselves aside to attend to others’ needs.

Jesus came into our hurried, me-first world not “to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28). We serve Him best by serving others. The lower we bend, the closer we are to Him.

Loving Lord, help me to follow You into the needs of others and serve You there. Amen.

This blessed me when I read it. We are typically always in a hurry, passing up opportunities to be used by God. Today, slow down, stop and remember, you can make a difference. God has a purpose for every “inconvenience” we may face, we just have to be open and willing to serve others despite our inconveniences in the moment. May we remember what was said in today’s devotion, The lower we bend, the closer we are to Him.

Make today beautiful!

Today’s Reading is Mark 9:33-37