Shooting Ourselves in the Foot

Welcome to today's encouragement from the Our Daily Bread devotional. I'm Tom Felton and I called our reading, Shooting Ourselves in the Foot. In 2021, an engineer with the ambition to shoot an arrow farther than anyone in history took aim at the record of 2,028 feet. While lying on his back on a salt flat, he drew back the bowstring of his personally designed foot bow and prepared to launch the projectile to what he hoped would be a new record distance of more than a mile, 5,280 feet. Taking a deep breath, he let the arrow fly. It didn't travel a mile, in fact it traveled less than a foot, launching into his foot and causing considerable damage.

Ouch! Sometimes we can figuratively shoot ourselves in the foot with misguided ambition. James and John knew what it meant to ambitiously seek something good, but for the wrong reasons. In Mark chapter 10, they asked Jesus to let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory. In Matthew chapter 19, Jesus had told the disciples that they would sit on the twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel, so it's easy to see why they made this request.

The problem? They were selfishly seeking their own lofty position and power in Christ's glory. Jesus told them that their ambition was misplaced and that whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant. As we aim to do good and great things for Christ, may we seek his wisdom and direction, humbly serving others as he did so well. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Mark chapter 10, verses 35 through 45.

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. Teacher, they said, we want you to do for us whatever we ask. What do you want me to do for you, he asked. They replied, let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory. You don't know what you are asking, Jesus said. Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?

We can, they answered. Jesus said to them, you will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with. But to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared. When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. Jesus called them together and said, you know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them, not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.

For even the son of man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. Let's pray. Jesus, we desire to do great things for you, but please help us to do them for the right reasons. We desperately need your wisdom and guidance. In Jesus name we pray. Amen. Today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.