When reading the New Testament, people assume Jesus was universally honored as Lord. Yet, despite His deep wisdom, He was never revered worldwide. To many ordinary people, He seemed like a failure, which makes the praise He now receives feel curious. If Jesus is to be regarded as the way, the truth, and the life, then humanity’s true nature remains largely unexplored by scholars, and the habit of ranking people as greater or lesser reflects this gap.
What exactly is man in this vast physical universe? The answer often challenges scholars, who may be driven by a desire for recognition and status. Ego stands as humanity’s greatest enemy, and for some, the pursuit of knowledge feeds it through degrees, titles, and accolades. The truth is, education doesn’t make anyone inherently better. Humans were never meant to be glorified. Jesus, the way, the truth, and the life, came in human form to serve, not to be served, as He taught His earliest disciples. This was the heart of His message to them.
“Jesus called them together and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:25-28) (NIV).
If someone can’t face the true meaning of this Scripture, it’s self-deception to claim to be a Christian. You can’t really understand it without grasping its significance. When Jesus spoke about Gentile rulers, He highlighted what people generally accept—that leaders are honored when viewed as carrying the weight of responsibility.
That hasn’t changed today. Titles and recognition often come with rewards for achievement, and on the surface, that seems fine. But Jesus taught something different—true leadership is about serving others, not expecting them to serve you. Greatness, in His view, depends on how much you serve. In this context, serving means offering something that benefits others, whether it’s providing food, washing their feet, or helping them recognize their own identity.
It might sound unusual, but it makes sense when you carefully look at the life of Jesus. Here we are looking at a man who was rarely honored—once by a woman who used costly perfume to wash His feet with her hair (John 12:3), and again when Joseph of Arimathea, though not one of the twelve, provided for His burial. Yet there’s no record of His closest disciples—Peter, John, or James—ever serving Him. He washed their feet, but they never washed His.
“When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. ‘Do you understand what I have done for you?’ he asked them. ‘You call me “Teacher” and ‘‘Lord,’’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you’” (John 13:12-15) (NIV).
Jesus was Lord even before the crucifixion, yet He never sought or desired worship from anyone. Those in needs often kept Him so busy He had little time to rest. His disciples may have only recognized Him as Lord after realizing He was the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16). Otherwise, He showed that true greatness lies in serving others. Viewing Jesus today, in His humanity, as deserving the same kind of respect given to bishops reflects a misunderstanding of scripture. Those religious leaders embody the very opposite of what Jesus stood for.
Some may question whether Jesus’s teachings are practical. If they perfectly match modern ideas of practicality, then that version of Jesus isn’t the one described in the Bible. Being a believer means embracing all He taught, but not without thought. The real strength of His message is in its practical power to sustain faith.
While it makes sense to trust facts that come directly from the source, how realistic is it today to put serving others ahead of being served? Jesus set this example for His disciples after He left them. When He washed their feet, He said, “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you should also wash each other’s feet. I’ve given you an example so you can follow and do as I have done for you.” This principle helps keep admiration from becoming misplaced.
“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you” (Matthew 6:1-4) (NIV).
This principle worked just as Jesus demonstrated it could. Still, the outcome of living this way deserves closer attention. Many who call themselves believers struggle to follow it, often excusing themselves by saying Jesus was unique. While He certainly was, we also become unique when we put His teachings into practice.
His uniqueness was in introducing a new way of life, and true discipleship is shown by living out what He taught. There will always be pretenders alongside genuine followers, though that’s not the main point here. The key idea is avoiding public displays of righteousness.
The real heroes are the quiet, unrecognized ones—something Jesus affirmed when blessing those persecuted for doing good (Matthew 5:10-12). Today, many think leaders deserve special honor, leading to competition for power—a mindset perhaps echoed in the woman who asked Jesus to grant her sons special roles.
“Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him. ‘What is it you want?’ he asked. She said, ‘Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.’ ‘You don’t know what you are asking,’ Jesus said to them. ‘Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?’ ‘We can,’ they answered. Jesus said to them, ‘You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.’ When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers” (Matthew 20:20-24) (NIV).
This Scripture highlights four main points. First, it tells of a woman asking Jesus for a favor without fully grasping the situation, seeing leadership as an honor to be served rather than a role of serving, completely flipping its true meaning. Second, it addresses the unnecessary ambition for leadership positions, reminding us that everyone has leadership potential and that God values the heart behind the desire. The woman viewed leadership as being served.
Third, it emphasizes that God decides who holds leadership roles, and wise people release the assumption that respected denominational leaders will automatically be part of the bridal team, leading to possible surprises when Jesus returns. Lastly, it shows the disciples’ frustration with the two brothers, exposing their own misunderstandings and the common belief in the perks of leadership.
In reality, walking with Jesus didn’t give anyone a special advantage; everyone has unique strengths once they know their true identity, even capable of greater works than Jesus, as stated in John 14:12. What set Jesus apart was His unmatched knowledge—otherwise He was as human as anyone, and though called the only begotten Son, all are God’s children, as shown in Genesis.
“Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’ So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:26-27) (NIV).
It’s surprising how many people struggle to grasp this Scripture, even though it’s as straightforward as understanding that being made in God’s image means being like Jesus. If God exists eternally, then humans also have the potential for eternal life. Even though humanity has fallen, we still have the opportunity to return to our original place as God’s image—a truth cherished by those who trust in the authority of Scripture.
Hell is simply the broken state of the world, and those who recognize its harsh reality are blessed. Knowing we carry God’s image makes it impossible to settle for just physical existence. We see suffering, loss, and tragedies like terrorism, suicide, crime, illness, accidents, and disasters all around us. But the point isn’t to spread hopelessness—it’s to share the Good News of God’s Kingdom.
When Jesus said, “It is finished,” He showed that ending human misery is possible. Pride remains the greatest obstacle to accepting His message. To the proud, equality means little, and they are often celebrated as trendsetters, which all aim for. As I’ve said before, some choose to hold on to what keeps them bound instead of embracing what can set them free.
Prideful people often feel uneasy about equality, preferring separation instead. Pride can feed on racial prejudice, as well as on stories that favor those with racial bias. There’s also pride in wealth, with some corrupt individuals believing that piling up riches means freedom. This includes assuming you’re more talented than others.
Being made in God’s image means a person is more than just their body, and everything that reflects God should sustain them. While living in a physical form, being served shouldn’t be the goal—serving others should be. Yet this feels hard to believe in a world where morality seems to be fading. Even for those pursuing higher education, the goal often seems to be receiving benefits rather than offering service to others.
Everyone has unique talents and abilities, though many remain hidden. No one is better than anyone else, since all share God’s image. Those who look down on others fail to see they’re insulting God. When Jesus came, he offered answers to humanity’s problems, but pride has stayed the biggest barrier.
True Christianity has faced heavy opposition despite being taught since Jesus’ time. Today, many prominent figures misuse God’s name for their own gain. The faith has grown mostly through Trinitarian teaching, while God’s genuine servants remain few and often overlooked.
A common tactic is to exploit the weaknesses of human nature. No one can match the perfection of Jesus—David, Peter, and Paul weren’t perfect either. Unlike Him, people have flaws, and charlatans use those flaws to undermine the credibility of genuine preachers.
When presenting information to a fallible public, they focus heavily on the mistakes of God’s servants, rather than what they say. This approach can be a powerful tool for pushing propaganda, which commonly gains public approval ahead of truth. They promote themselves with flair, even though Jesus taught that good deeds should be done quietly.
The real way to tell charlatans from true Christians isn’t about how much they know, but about their openness to learning. Like the Pharisees, charlatans cling to the belief that they know it all and work hard to prove others wrong. However, no one knows everything, except those who are willing to test all things and hold on to what is good (1 Thess. 5:21). Jesus said,
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:3) (NIV). “…..God has revealed it to us by His Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God,” (1 Cor. 2:10) (NIV).
True Christians are those who approach Scripture with a fresh perspective, always eager to learn. Jesus described them as being like little children, open and humble. Most importantly, they show a willingness to serve others, even in the simplest acts like washing someone’s feet. Christianity isn’t about popularity or gaining followers; it’s about genuine service, because following Jesus means surrendering our human nature instead of seeking admiration from others.
Andrew Masuku is the author of Dimensions of a New Civilisation, laying down standards for uplifting Zimbabwe from the current state of economic depression into a model for other nations worldwide. A decaying tree provides an opportunity for a blossoming sprout. Written from a Christian perspective, the book is a product of inspiration, relieving those who have witnessed the strings of unworkable solutions, leading to the current economic and social decay. Most Zimbabweans should find the book to be a long-awaited providential oasis of hope, in a simple conversational tone.
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