"It's an honor just to be nominated" doesn't sound like what James and John would have said. They were literally looking for seats of honor. Being a part of Jesus' circle didn't seem to be enough. They wanted a different kind of greatness.
Now, it's easy to criticize the request to be at either side of Jesus' throne. But their idea is more familiar to us than we might want to admit.
After all, we want to matter, don't we? We want our lives to count. We want to be seen.
I can imagine Jesus listening and then looking at them. He doesn't rebuke them. But he does redirect their thinking. Whereas they were imagining thrones, Jesus only saw sacrifice. They considered the recognition that comes with sitting next to the king. But the Lord brings them back to surrender.
And there's part of the tension for us. We want purpose, but we often define it in terms of power, visibility, or success when Jesus sees it as faithfulness.
Bishop Schnase once wrote a book titled Ambition in Ministry. I remember reading it and reflecting on his idea that ambition isn't the problem itself. We all have some kind of ambition within us. The issue is where that ambition is aimed. If we don't check it, it turns inward. That's when we start looking at our platforms and the applause they bring.
Aimed toward Jesus, ambition is refined. We maintain a hunger to see lives changed by the gospel and a commitment to serve without needing to be seen.
Now, notice the other disciples got angry with the request. Was it because they were more humble or righteous? Or were they playing the same game and just mad the other two beat them to it?
Either way, Jesus says, "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve..."
That is a way of life, and an ambition check for our souls. As such, Jesus doesn't seem to mind if you want to be great. You're just going to have to be great on his terms.
Stay blessed...john
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