"But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them.
But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:
And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.
For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many."
Mark 10:42-45
Earth life seems so focused on the individual sometimes. Earlier in the chapter Jesus teaches that in the creation there was male and female--a group (verse 6). Thinking about that earlier context, this lesson about leadership and success also seems to be emphasizing that group concept--that we are meant to work together, not singly, and depend on one another and help each other. Even working out our "own salvation" (Philippians 2:12. Mormon 9:27) is not just defined by our relationship with God, but also by our relationship to other people. After all, the two great commandments which encompass all of the rest are to love God and love our neighbors as ourselves. Our relationship with others is what the gospel is all about.
Not that being an individual is a bad thing. We're here to learn and to make decisions that other people can't learn or make for us, but it is all part of the whole. In building relationships with God and other people, and in serving others and helping them... that is how we learn about ourselves and find out who and what we are. As Matthew 10:39 says, "He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it."
Today, let's think about ourselves in the context of our relationships with others, especially God. Let's remember that we're part of a community and the way to greatness, and even salvation and self-knowledge is not through focusing on the self, but on how we interact with and serve others. D&C 38:27 says "if ye are not one ye are not mine," interestingly encouraging us to be more than one--unified. Let's work to build our groups and communities and families and world, not just ourselves.
But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:
And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.
For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many."
Mark 10:42-45
Earth life seems so focused on the individual sometimes. Earlier in the chapter Jesus teaches that in the creation there was male and female--a group (verse 6). Thinking about that earlier context, this lesson about leadership and success also seems to be emphasizing that group concept--that we are meant to work together, not singly, and depend on one another and help each other. Even working out our "own salvation" (Philippians 2:12. Mormon 9:27) is not just defined by our relationship with God, but also by our relationship to other people. After all, the two great commandments which encompass all of the rest are to love God and love our neighbors as ourselves. Our relationship with others is what the gospel is all about.
Not that being an individual is a bad thing. We're here to learn and to make decisions that other people can't learn or make for us, but it is all part of the whole. In building relationships with God and other people, and in serving others and helping them... that is how we learn about ourselves and find out who and what we are. As Matthew 10:39 says, "He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it."
Today, let's think about ourselves in the context of our relationships with others, especially God. Let's remember that we're part of a community and the way to greatness, and even salvation and self-knowledge is not through focusing on the self, but on how we interact with and serve others. D&C 38:27 says "if ye are not one ye are not mine," interestingly encouraging us to be more than one--unified. Let's work to build our groups and communities and families and world, not just ourselves.
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