Elevation by Association

Mark 10:32-45 

Jesus Predicts His Death a Third Time

 ³² They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. ³³ “We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, ³⁴ who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.”

The Request of James and John

 ³⁵ Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”    ³⁶ “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.
 ³⁷ They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”
   ³⁸ “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?”
 ³⁹ “We can,” they answered.
Elevation by association.  I have never been into people.  Maybe it is because I come from a small town with very common people and associates.  Maybe it is because I have gone to churches were the humblest person in the building was my pastor.  I don't know, but there has always been a sore spot in my heart for people who name drop and billboard.  These are people who don't have many accomplishments of their own but they have a lot of friends who have accomplishments and they count on these to make them look better than what they are.  The only reason why they want to be affiliated with you is because you have something or are something that they lack.  I can't imagine how it will feel to have someone drop my name as a point of authority.  In earnest, we use people to billboard.  We display the people we know in order to look better.  James and John realized that they were in the presence of someone great and it would be an honor to sit next to him.  Those were coveted positions.  Notice that they did not ask where Peter was sitting and he too was in the inner circle.  They were only concerned for themselves.  Jesus makes it clear that the seat required a cup and if they wanted to sit there, they had to drink the cup.  Many people want to be like other people without realizing that they don't want to do what that person did to get there.  In a nutshell, it is just best to be yourself and appreciate yourself.  If the only good feeling you have is wrapped up in sitting in a high seat in church, then get
 ready because those seats can change occupants at any time.  You have to feel your worth regardless to who you are standing next to or where you sit.  Are you not the same regardless to where you are?  If you find yourself changing because of where you sit or don't sit, take a good long look within.  External exaltation rarely takes place without internal exaltation.  That is the feeling you get when you have no problem being whomever you are, wherever you are.

Black Butterfly
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlGNEqOpQZo

Be Blessed
Diamonds and Pearls Ministries.