James and John wanted to sit at His right hand and left hand when Jesus came into His kingdom.  The kingdom victory was won on the cross, and the two selected for those chief seats were sinners.  That sure tells you a lot about Jesus and His kingdom.  We prize hierarchy if we are at the top.  Our problem is, ego deceives us about what is the top.  Jesus taught that the bottom is the way to the top, and the top is the way to the bottom.  He taught that we need to aspire to descend to the bottom and let God promote to the top.

“When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant.  So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them.  But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else.” Mark 10:41-44 (NLT)