The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. Matt 23:11-12 (ESV)
In all honesty, it is hard for me to really enjoy this passage. Often I think that if I do my job (or at least what I like to do), I shouldn't do other jobs I don't want to do (but I would use the word gifted in there somewhere instead of want). If I do serve, in some backhanded way I want God to reward me for my suffering (service) and to punish those who should have been doing what I think they should have been doing. The struggle is that we think we are great. We want to be esteemed and given tasks that carry prestige and honor. But honor and prestige belong to God; He is making a people that reflect His character and proclaim His glory. There is a promise for everyone in this verse: humble will be lifted up, but the proud, well, they'll be cast down to the ground. If I'm not encouraged by the first reason, the second reason is often scary enough to help my awful attitude.
