Ye emperour… made hym & his cardenals ride in reed on hye ors.
Who doesn’t love a bit of Middle English every now and again? No? This is one of the earliest sources of the term “high horse”. To have a high horse in medieval times was a sign of your wealth, your status, your power. Ever notice the men in statues and paintings are often sat astride an enormous horse? It’s about being high and mighty, better than those around you...
Well, friends. It’s time to get off your high horse.
Jesus came riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. And not even just a donkey, a colt, a child donkey. The lowest of the low. A symbol of service, suffering, peace and humility. Jesus tells his disciples that they were not to be like the rulers of the Gentiles who lorded over their subjects but rather, to be great, they must become a slave. Just as Jesus “did not come to be served, but to serve,” (Matthew 20:28 NIV) we too need to climb down from the horses we’ve put ourselves on, lower our opinion of ourselves, and begin to serve others.
So who do you need to serve this week? Climb off your self-righteous “I’ve been wronged, they’re worse than me,” attitude and instead choose to serve.
Choose to love your spouse even when they make you mad, wind you up, don’t help in the way you want them to.
Choose.
Choose to honour your boss even when they are harsh, overlook you, don’t pay you properly.
Choose.
Choose to forgive your neighbour, even when they’re not sorry, have done it before, and will do it again.
Choose.
Show kindness, extend forgiveness, exercise patience, give grace.
Choose to climb down off that horse and as you do you might be surprised how these strained and tested relationships in your life begin to repair. All the time you’re on that high horse there will be distance between you.
Choose instead to close the gap.
Get off your high horse.
Climb on down, and humbly serve.