Travelling in Style

This week we saw some of the most powerful people in the world descend on London for the G20 talks. President Obama arrived at Stanstead airport on his own personal Jumbo jet Air Force One. He was then flown on by Marine One - one of 28 state of the art helicopters dedicated to his personal use. When it came to getting around the city itself he used his personal armoured car/tank - affectionately known as The Beast. This is no ordinary car - it is designed to protect the President from almost any eventuality - one Internet site even said it was designed to survive a meteor strike (presumably that would depend on the size of the meteor). None of the other G20 leaders arrived with so much baggage, but they all arrived amid security and comfort.

If you've ever flown economy class, no doubt you have longed to be upgraded to business or first class - for nothing more than a bit of leg room and the ability to get a good night's rest. The next step is to hire a personal jet for those hops across the Atlantic to do a bit of seasonal shopping. Then the idea is to buy a personal jet.

When we think about power there are all kinds of trappings that automatically come to mind. Nice cars and private jets are just some of them.

Jesus was the most powerful man ever to walk the earth and although personal jets and limos weren't available to him other modes of transport were. Coming to Jerusalem on that first 'Palm Sunday' he was stating his position as king, and so could have come on a white horse, or in a chariot, or maybe carried in some kind of chair affair - instead he borrowed a donkey. Jesus was beginning his final week, a week in which his actions would bewilder almost everyone who knew him. Kings and powerful people behave in certain ways. They don't turn up in a borrowed everyday family car. They don't do the job of a servant and wash their disciples' feet. They certainly don't go to their death if they could have done anything to stop it.

Jesus was the most powerful man to walk the earth and yet he used his power in a different way to everyone else. He didn't look out for his own interests. He didn't put himself first. Instead he was obedient to all that God asked of him, and he loved others - all others - even his enemies.

If we claim to be followers of Jesus this Palm Sunday then we need to follow his example.