“I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends.” — John 15:15
March Madness has come and gone. The dogwoods and azaleas are beginning to bloom, and it can mean only one thing: the tax filing deadline has arrived.
Or, The Masters. 🙂
For some, the word masters might bring to mind a gallery filled with the works of Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, or Raphael. For others, it’s a pristine golf course and a Green Jacket.
But in either case, the idea is the same:
A master is someone who has reached the highest level of skill, excellence, and influence—someone who sets the standard.
It’s rare air.
Only a handful of golfers have ever achieved the career grand slam. The best in the world spend a lifetime chasing mastery… and most never quite get there.
And yet—
2,000 years ago, the greatest Master who ever lived redefined greatness entirely.
Not from a stage.
Not with a trophy.
Not with a following.
But on His knees… with a towel… washing feet.
In that moment, Jesus showed us what true mastery looks like:
To love.
To serve.
To elevate others.
To descend into greatness.
He didn’t just teach it—He modeled it. And then He did something even more stunning…
He called them friends.
That changes everything.
Because it means the goal of our lives isn’t just what we accomplish—it’s why we do it.
We don’t find meaning in our work.
We bring meaning to our work.
When we live and act with Jesus, every part of our lives—our choices, relationships, work, creativity, even our prayers—takes on eternal significance. These are not small, isolated acts. They are the raw materials of new creation.
Nothing done in love is wasted.
Not one swing. Not one step. Not one act of obedience.
I love watching The Masters each year. It’s a beautiful thing to witness excellence under pressure. The precision. The discipline. The pursuit of perfection.
But let’s be honest…
Every trophy fades.
Every champion is eventually forgotten.
Even the Green Jacket gathers dust.
But a life lived with and for the Master?
That echoes into eternity.
As Mother Teresa reminds us, it’s not about doing great things—it’s about doing all things with great love.
A Green Jacket is just a jacket when it’s done for personal glory.
But the smallest act—done with Jesus, for Jesus—
That’s mastery.
That’s legacy.
That’s the life we’ve been invited into.
Run the play.
Do all things well—
for the Master’s reputation, not ours.
Finding Our Place in the Story
- Where am I tempted to chase recognition or “my Green Jacket,” instead of quietly pursuing faithfulness with Jesus?
- What is one ordinary area of my life that I can intentionally do with great love this week?
- How would my daily work change if I truly believed nothing done in love is wasted?
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