Practice What You Preach

 

The Weight of Titles – Matthew 23:1-12

Dear Friends, picture the scene. Jesus is in the temple courts, crowds thick around Him, religious leaders circling like hawks. The scribes and Pharisees have been trying to trap Him for days, but now He turns and speaks straight to the people about them.

“The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practise. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others…” (Matthew 23:2-5 ESV)

He keeps going—long tassels, wide phylacteries, places of honour at feasts, greetings in the marketplaces, being called “Rabbi” and “Teacher” and “Father”. Then the knife-twist:

“But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” (Matthew 23:8-12 ESV)

Jesus isn’t banning titles. He’s exposing the heart behind them. The scribes and Pharisees loved the weight of their position more than the weight of the people they were meant to serve. They built ladders of honour for themselves while piling rules and guilt on everyone else. They wanted the front seats, the respectful nods, the sense of being above the rest. And Jesus says: that’s not the kingdom way.

In the kingdom, the ladder is flipped. The greatest isn’t the one with the loudest title or the fanciest robe—it’s the one who kneels lowest to lift others up. Servant. Not boss. Brother. Not overlord.

We feel this sting too, don’t we? Not just in pulpits or church meetings, but in everyday life. The quiet craving to be seen as the one who’s got it together, the one whose opinion matters most, the one people turn to first. The subtle flex of “I know more” or “I’ve been doing this longer” or “listen to me because of my position/role/age/experience”. We don’t always say it out loud, but the heart whispers it. And Jesus hears.

He doesn’t shame us for it—He invites us out of it. Because every time we chase the high seat, we’re chasing something that crumbles. The only seat that lasts is the low one, the servant’s place, the one Christ Himself took when He washed feet and carried a cross.

Today, pause. Look honestly at the last week. Where have you reached for honour instead of offering service? Where have you wanted to be seen as right, wise, important, rather than just useful? No need to beat yourself up—Jesus already knows. He’s just calling us back to the freedom of being small again. Small enough to be loved without earning it. Small enough to love without needing credit.

Point to Ponder: The kingdom runs on low seats, not high titles. The greatest isn’t the one everyone notices—it’s the one everyone forgets because they were too busy serving.

Verse to Remember: “The greatest among you shall be your servant.” (Matthew 23:11 ESV)

Question to Consider: This week, who’s one person you could quietly serve without anyone noticing—no thanks expected, no recognition hoped for? What small, hidden act of love would flip the ladder in your heart and theirs?

Article written by Shaun Fereday, Leader @SFGH Church