Mark 9:30-37 (NRSV)
Read Mark 9:30-37 on biblegateway.com
Verse 33Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, "What were you arguing about on the way?"
Verse 34But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest.
Verse 35He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all."
Verse 36Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them,
Verse 37"Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me."
Devotion
One summer I worked as a camp counselor. One of the weeks, the kids who attended all had Muscular Dystrophy. Each counselor was paired with a camper. Because I had worked as a nursing assistant, I was assigned one of the most disabled campers of all: “Stevie.”
Stevie had spent his life in a wheelchair. A brain injury meant he communicated at a level much younger than his age. There was so much that Stevie did not have … but there was also much that he did have. He had a huge heart and a huge love for people. Stevie would have me stop at each table at every meal so that he could greet people and tell them that he loved them. Stevie had an amazing ability to make people feel good about themselves. What amazed me during that unforgettable week was that the person who seemed to have the least gave the most to others.
In Mark 9, the disciples were arguing about who was the greatest. But again and again, Jesus turns their – and our – expectations upside down. Jesus told them that if they welcomed a child, they welcomed him; that a poor widow gave the most; that the last shall be first and the first shall be last. We live in a society that idolizes actors, actresses, sports stars and wealth. Jesus says all of that is meaningless. In his kingdom, it is humble acts of selfless service that matter most.
Prayer
Jesus, give us your wisdom, so that we may see what is truly greatest in your kingdom. Amen.