When You Want to Be the Queen—but You’re Not

So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant ” —Mark 10:42-43 NLT

Not long ago, I had a terrible airport experience. It was one of those times when you do everything “right,” and things turn out all wrong. We arrived at the airport two hours early, as required. The lines were very long, and it took over an hour to even get near the counter to check our suitcases. Because of the long delay, just as we were about to finally check in, the airport opened a new line for our flight to expedite the procedure, and because we were first in the line, everyone behind us moved to the new line ahead of us.

When we finally reached the counter, a trainee further slowed us down. Then, at security, my husband was flagged for wearing a back brace. That final delay cost us our flight. The gate was closed. We were on our own with a little dog, and the nearest hotels would not take dogs. To say I was not a happy camper would be a great understatement.

My response to this series of unfortunate events was dreadful. I felt sorry for myself. I felt affronted and offended. Did the airport personnel not see what they had done to me? Why weren’t they more concerned for our plight? I talked to the manager, who gave us a free flight the next morning but could not help with the hotel situation. I demanded to see her manager. I turned into an ice queen, looking down on her with distaste in my eyes. My words were civil, but my attitude was not.

We found a hotel further away that could shuttle us back to the airport at 4 am the following morning and blessed us even more by giving us a room at 10 am despite a 4 pm check-in time. Once there, I simmered down and took a long, hard look at my behavior. Would I have wanted that manager to know I was a follower of Jesus?

Um. No.

I am not the queen. No one needs to bow to me. Yes, everything that happened to us was sad, but were they the beleaguered manager’s fault? Absolutely not. Did she take the time to book us free on the next available flight the following morning amidst a crowded airport with thousands of other demands on her time? She did. Was she polite to me despite my disdain for her? She was.

“Oh, forgive me, Lord,” I whispered. “I did not represent You well at all.”

When two of Jesus’ disciples asked to sit at His right and left hand when he came into His kingdom, His response showed His dismay at their request. They had it all backward. Jesus said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant” (see above). After all, Jesus came to serve. He didn’t enter the human world with pomp and circumstance, with a retinue of servants around Him to make sure He was comfortable. He arrived as a baby in a stable. He never had a home of His own as an adult and often walked miles and slept outdoors on the hard ground. Life was not comfortable for the Lord I claim to follow. Why should it always be comfortable for me?

What if I had treated the busy manager with kindness and grace instead of disdain? What if I had remembered that God is ultimately in charge of my life and my plans? What if He had intended for me to be a witness and a bright light instead of another troublesome passenger? What opportunity did I miss because of my self-centered need for importance? These are not fun questions to ask, but they are necessary.

We are called to be servants, not kings and queens. We are called to receive what God allows and seek His will for the hard situations of life. Peter says it well, “So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor” 1 Peter 5:6 NLT). Let’s do that in our daily encounters. Our God loves us, and He lifts us up in due time. Our job is to shine for Him at all times—even the super annoying ones.

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To inspire a movement away from the belief that “busy is better”
and toward the truth of God’s Word that stillness and knowing
Him matter most—and will be reflected in more effective work and service

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and love God more deeply as they know Him more intimately (Sweet)

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