There's a story in scripture about a mother who had something on her heart. She wanted the best for her children and so she went to Jesus and said, "Can I talk to you about something?" She loved her two sons so much that she asked Jesus, "When they get to heaven, can one of my sons sit on your left side and can the other sit on your right side?" This was a bold mother! I admire her tenacity to try to make that happen. Wouldn't you try if you could? The disciples of course were less than thrilled. They thought, "Who does she think she is? We've followed Jesus and walked and talked with Him. We deserve to sit with Him in Heaven." Jesus understood where the woman was coming from and so He took the opportunity to teach all of them something about the Kingdom of Heaven. He said, "If you want to be the greatest in the kingdom, you have to become the least. You have to become the servant of all." Jesus didn't come to earth to be served, He came to be the servant of all.
Another time they were at the table and Jesus knew they still hadn't grasped the concept. He arose from His place and prepared to wash their feet. He was showing them what greatness looked like. Greatness is serving one another. It wasn't below His position of authority, it was a part of His position and authority. Jesus wants His people to rise up in the earth but the authority He's given us is never to Lord over others, it's to serve and build up others.
In Psalms, David said, "God, you have stooped down to make us great." Jesus set the example for us when He stooped down to wash the feet of others. If we are going to be all God has created us to be, we are going to have to stoop down and be a servant to those around us. Servanthood is the key to greatness in the kingdom.
"Who is like the Lord our God, the One who sits enthroned on high, who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth? He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes, with the princes of his people" (Psalm 113:5-8, NIV).