Giving Up - Superiority | Luke 22
Sunday mornings are a special time to gather as a community, to worship freely, and to embrace the privilege that so many around the world are denied. It's a blessing to be together, to learn, and to grow in faith. But what if part of our growth requires us to confront something deeply ingrained within us—our need to feel superior?
The Need to Be Better
If we're honest, we all have an internal measuring stick. Whether it's being the first to drive through an intersection, comparing our church to others, or even feeling pride over our career choices, we all struggle with a desire to be seen as greater than those around us. Psychologists call this the "social comparison theory"—the tendency to measure our self-worth against others.
We see this in everyday life:
"My car is better than his."
"My purse is more expensive than hers."
"I have a graduate degree, they don’t."
"I voted for the ‘right’ candidate."
These thoughts may never be spoken aloud, but they are real. And yet, the very thing we cling to for self-worth may be the thing God is calling us to give up.
The Disciples’ Struggle
Even Jesus’ disciples wrestled with this issue. In Luke 22:24, while in the upper room, they broke into an argument about who among them was the greatest. Imagine the irony—they were discussing who should replace Jesus while sitting right next to Him! They compared careers, past experiences, and even their perceived closeness to Jesus to justify their superiority.
Jesus’ response? “Stop it. Knock it off. That’s not how we are supposed to act.” (Luke 22:26) He reminded them that true greatness is not about position, power, or comparison—it’s about servanthood.
The Call to Serve
Jesus set the ultimate example by serving others. Philippians 2:5-7 tells us that though He was God, He took on the form of a servant. He didn’t just serve in a respectable way; He took the lowest position—washing the feet of His disciples.
Jesus asks us to do the same. Not to boast, not to measure ourselves against others, but to lower ourselves in service. He reminds us that the true path to greatness is not in stacking up earthly accolades but in humbling ourselves for the sake of others.
Living It Out
What if instead of striving to be better than, we strove to serve more? What if our confidence came not from comparison, but from knowing we are loved by God? This Lenten season, perhaps we are called to give up more than just coffee or social media—perhaps God is calling us to give up superiority.
Let’s adopt the attitude of Christ. Let’s serve with humility. Let’s stop adding rings to our “I’m better than you” measuring stick and start living as He called us to live.
