Matthew 20:17–34. 21 “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.” 32 Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. 33 “Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.”
When Jesus asked, “What is it you want?” He asked it twice in the same chapter, but to very different people. In Matthew 20:21, the mother of James and John came to Jesus and asked that one of her sons would sit at His right hand and the other at His left in His Kingdom. This request came from a place of closeness, familiarity, and ambition for greatness. Later in the same chapter, two blind beggars sat by the roadside crying out desperately for mercy. Though the crowd tried to silence them, they continued to shout. Jesus stopped and asked them the same question: “What do you want Me to do for you?” Their answer was simple and honest: “Lord, we want our sight.” At first glance, the question may seem unnecessary because their need was obvious. Yet Jesus asked it anyway, because what we ask reveals what we truly desire.
When James and John’s mother made her request, Jesus responded, “You do not know what you are asking.” She was seeking position and honour without understanding the cost. Immediately after this encounter, Jesus reminded His disciples that the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many. Greatness in God’s Kingdom is not about status but about sacrifice. The blind beggars could have asked for many things. They could have asked to sit near Jesus or to be recognised by Him. Instead, they asked for mercy and for sight. Their request came from desperation, humility, and clarity of need. Though blind, they saw more clearly than those who walked closely with Jesus.
All of us are at different stages of life and carry different needs and burdens. Because of this, we ask for different things. Some seek healing, others provision, others direction. Yet it is worth pausing to ask whether our prayers are shaped more by ambition than by surrender.
Jesus Himself did not seek position at the right or left of the Father. He sought the strength and grace to fulfil His purpose, which was to serve and to give His life for others. His prayer was not for elevation but for obedience. So we must ask ourselves: What are we asking God for? Is it promotion, a bigger salary, a better home, or greater recognition? Do we ever ask God for the grace to serve others? Do we ask Him to humble us, to help us put others before ourselves, to forgive when we have been wronged, to love those who despise or humiliate us? Do we ask Him to remove bitterness, grudges, and the desire for revenge? Do we ask Him for compassion to weep with those who suffer, even when they have hurt us?
This is service. This is what Jesus meant when He spoke of greatness. When the disciples asked about sitting at His right and left, He pointed them toward humility. In the Kingdom of God, the greatest are not those who seek position, but those who are lowly and humble in heart.
Prayer
Lord, search my heart and reveal what I truly want. Purify my desires and renew my mind. Teach me to ask not for position, but for grace; not for recognition, but for humility; not to be served, but to serve. Give me the strength to forgive, the courage to love when it is costly, and the humility to place others before myself. Shape my heart to desire what pleases You above all else. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Quote: Many speak of the Kingdom but secretly seek the throne.