Mommmm! Not in Front of the Guys!

Reading Matthew 20 today, and I realized that the parable of the workers that I wrote about yesterday, the prediction Jesus gives of His death, and the story of James and John's mom in verses 20-28 all fit together.  I've always kind of broke them up, but they actually go together better.

You've got yesterdays story that culminated with "the last will be first and the first will be last".  Then Jesus predicts His death and resurrection.  Then James' and John's mom comes and asks for Jesus to promote her boys to the front of the line.  I've always chuckled at how embarrassing this is.  I think it's funny that we believe that "helicopter parents" are something new, but here she is 2000+ years ago, hovering over her grown boys.  Humiliating.  But more than that, what is she asking?  I always thought she meant for Jesus to promote them in heaven one day.  But I don't think so.  She's asking about when He becomes King here on earth.  What about the whole death/resurrection talk?  I think they just didn't get it, still.  They are looking for a king here.  I've known that, but the story fits together a little better when I look at it as a whole.

So, I guess the question then is what do I need to hear from this?  What does God want us to see?  A couple of possible questions.  They didn't get the whole point in the resurrection/death.  What big point of God's plan are you and I missing?  Where are we wanting Jesus to rule so that we can take some power of our own?  Is Jesus a means to an end for us?  Or is He Himself the goal?

I'll have to think about that one for awhile.