James and John, like many of us, longed for places of power: “They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory.” Jesus rebuked them for their carnal craving and taught them the value of ministering. That, He said, was His purpose in coming to earth.

And what a minister He was. As a boy in the temple, at the age of twelve, He ministered to the religious leaders, answering their questions. He ministered to the sick. They came to Him with all manner of diseases and He healed them all. He ministered to the grieving, weeping with them, and often He went to the heart of their grief, restoring their loved ones who had been lost in death. He ministered to children and parents. Though He was here on heaven’s most important mission, He had time to lay His hands on little children and pray for them. He ministered to His disciples, taking a towel and basin and washing their feet. He ministered to lost sinners, explaining the way of eternal life. He ministered to a multi-married woman at the well of Samaria and gave her living water to quench her thirst of soul. He ministered to a dying thief who longed to be forgiven for a life of sin and to be remembered in the Kingdom. He ministered to His crucifiers as He prayed for their forgiveness.

What lessons there are in the life of Jesus to show us the sin of self exaltation! He humbled Himself and gave His life a ransom. We will do well to follow His steps by ministering to others today.