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Humble Hero
Strife for the Highest Place
The Savior said to them, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be
last of all and servant of all.” They did not understand the nature of
Christ’s kingdom, and this was the apparent cause of their conflict.
But the real cause lay deeper. Even after they had received the fullest
knowledge, any question of rank or position might have started the
trouble again. This would bring disaster to the church after Christ’s
departure. The battle for the highest place was the outworking of
that same spirit that had started the great controversy in the worlds
above and had brought Christ from heaven to die. There rose up
before Him a vision of Lucifer, who had said, “I will be like the
Most High.”
Isaiah 14:14
. This desire to exalt himself had brought
strife into the heavenly courts. Lucifer wanted God’s power but not
His character. He sought the highest place, and every being moved
by his spirit will do the same. The kingdom of Satan is a kingdom
of force. Every individual regards every other as an obstacle in the
way of his own advancement or a stepping-stone on which to climb
to a higher place.
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While Lucifer wanted to be equal with God, Christ “made Him-
self of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming
in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He
humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the
death of the cross.”
Philippians 2:7, 8
. Now the cross was just before
Him, and His own disciples were so filled with self-seeking that they
could not enter into sympathy with their Lord or even understand
Him when He spoke of His humiliation for them.
Jesus tried to correct the evil. He showed what the principle
is that prevails in the kingdom of heaven and what makes for true
greatness. Those who were controlled by pride and love of distinc-
tion were thinking of themselves and the rewards they would have.
There would be no place for them in the kingdom of heaven, for
they belonged to the ranks of Satan.
Before honor is humility. To fill a high place before others,
Heaven chooses the worker who takes a lowly place before God.
The most childlike disciple is the most efficient in labor for God.
Those who feel their need of divine aid will plead for it. From
communion with Christ they will go out to work, anointed for their