He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, ‘Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.’” vs. 35
Mark 9:33-37
We can only imagine how disheartening it must have been for Jesus to pour out his heart to his disciples about the cost of discipleship, and then have them engage in a great debate about which of them was the greatest. They had completely missed the point of his teaching! The only thing he could do was to give them a visual image that they could never forget. After telling them that the highest calling is to be the servant of all, he takes a child in his arms and says, “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name, welcomes me.” Jesus regularly reminded his followers that if they really wanted to know him, they should imitate the faith of children. There is something precious about the faith of a child, a kind of naive trust that is often lost in that period of angst and questioning that typifies adolescence. But then, for many of us there is a second chance. Having tested every kind of alternative belief, we go back to that childlike period, and simply believe. By that time, we know there are probably no answers to our big questions, and God remains a mystery, but it feels good to humble ourselves and be a child again. And there in the arms of Jesus, we fold into our eternal destiny, and perhaps, learn how to serve!
Thought for the Day: How is my faith like that of a child?
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