In his book "Reading Matthew: a Literary and Theological Commentary on the First Gospel", David Garland offers the observation that this scene that I just read carries a lot of family dynamics. Have you ever said to your kids, "I don’t want to see you acting like those other kids? You know better than that!" Maybe your parents used that one on you.

That’s what Garland says Jesus is doing with his disciples. He’s not talking directly to the scribes and Pharisees. Rather, he’s using them as an example of what not to do. If the disciples behave as the scribes and Pharisees do, they become guilty of offence against Christ’s teachings and against God.

What IS this offensive behaviour? What are the disciples to avoid?

• Not practicing what they preach, for starters. The Pharisees and scribes tell a good story but their actions betray their words. We lose our authenticity when we speak one way and act another. How can our words have value if our actions deny them? If you don’t LIVE it, don’t speak it.

It’s like a smoker warning his or her child not to smoke, while puffing away on their own cigarette.

• Their second offence is one of laying heavy burdens of guilt on the shoulders of others, but never offering to help that person. Maybe they think that they make themselves look better when others look and feel so much worse.

• Offer forgiveness and go on with your friendship

• Make them feel as guilty as possible and offer nothing but bitterness.

• They also want to be "in the spotlight" all the time. Their robes are very fine and elaborate. They like to be noticed and admired. These are no shy violets. If they do something good, they want the world to see it and applaud their actions.

The problem is that they fail to realize that with that recognition and power comes great responsibility – especially for those whose care and teaching has been entrusted to them.

It is not necessary – not even desirable – to place yourself above others. Humble service is what God requires.

The story is told of the janitor in a large office building who was responsible for the furnace. All the ‘important people’ worked in the offices above him. One day as he was burning garbage, a mouse jumped out of a basket. The little fellow huddled against the wall shivering in fright. "Please, please," the mouse said, "don’t throw me in the fire."

Well, a talking mouse! Wanting to have some fun, the janitor asked, "What can you do for me that would make it worth my while not to burn you?"

The janitor thought and then carefully said, "I wish that I could be like the people in offices over me."

The next day the janitor came to work and was ushered into a lovely office on the first floor of the building. However, it wasn’t long before he realized that he had to obey all the orders that were sent down from those on the floors above him. So he ran down to the basement and found the mouse. "Mouse! You make me like those who have authority on the floors above me, or I’ll throw you into the furnace."

Well, the next day the same thing happened. He moved up one storey but still had to obey those above him, and he insisted that the mouse promote him again. The same thing happened several more times until the janitor found himself in the office of the CEO of the company and was sending down orders to all those on the lower floors. He loved it. He had reached his goal.

However, one day when he came to work, the rain was pouring down and the thunder rumbled. He had a golf date that day, so he went to the roof and ordered the rain to stop. Of course, the rain continued. He then angrily went down to the basement and again ordered the mouse, "Make me as powerful with all the authority over whoever it is who is now still over me." The mouse smiled and said, "So it will be!"

The next day the janitor came to work and found himself in the basement tending the furnace."

Jesus said, "The greatest among you will be your servant. All who exalt themselves will be humbled and all who humble themselves will be exalted."

It is not your power, control or authority over others that bring you greatness. It is in your willingness to humbly serve that you fulfill God’s intention.

Some of us are called to, or achieve, positions of authority and power but unless we exercise our power judiciously and without thought of self-gain, we really have nothing.

I count as a friend, a former principal of Queen’s Theological College, a wise and gentle man, a man who could speak and work very well with other university Presidents and leaders. But he would also enjoy engaging in theological discussion and debate with the College janitor. They occasionally played golf together – the principal and the janitor.

My friend valued the work – and the person - of the man who swept the floors and cleaned the toilets and never treated him with disdain. Nor did he expect to be treated by the janitor as anyone other than a fellow worker at the College.

If we are blessed to be in a position of power or authority, we are to do our tasks to the best of our ability and not presume ourselves to be greater than those who work in what might be considered lesser positions.

As Jesus reminded his disciples, "But you are not to be called Rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all students…..Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Messiah."

We can learn much for this discourse by Jesus. If afford us an opportunity for self-examination.

• Do we practice what we preach? Are we living our faith in word and in deed?
• Do we do our best to support those around us or do we put them down in order to make ourselves look better?
• Do we seek attention and recognition for what we do, or do we quietly go about things without seeking reward?
• Do we treat one another with respect paying no regard to social position or do we consider ourselves above some others?

The janitor in our story discovered that humble and honest service tending the furnace was of greatest importance. Giving orders and placing one’s self above others is not God’s hope for us.

Have we, too, learned this most important of life’s lessons?

Amen