Scripture: Mark 9:33-37
Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, "What were you arguing about on the way?" But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest. He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all." Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.
Reflection Questions:
Do you have a hard time being number two? How competitive are you? Do you need to be right all the time? Most of the time? What does it mean for you to put the needs of others first? Is humility something that comes easy or hard? How do your answers to these questions impact your faith and following Jesus’ path of servant love?
Five-minute Story:
My original goal was to hike to Plateau Point, which is another mile and a half from Indian Gardens. The trail connecting these two points is mostly flat, a welcome novelty for feet accustomed to switchbacks and 10% elevations on the Bright Angel Trail. From Plateau Point, you can see the Colorado River snaking through the base of the canyon.
All morning of our hike I advocated for the side trip to Plateau Point. I wanted to stand on that point and see the river. After arriving at Indian Gardens, the consensus was that we didn’t need to go any further. Part of me, the physical part that was breaking down with each step, agreed. The stubborn part, however, refused to accept any version of the hike that was less than initially conceived. Lunch momentarily quieted my dueling internal argument. After lunch and a brief rest, my willful side was ready for the side trip.
At this point, Katie announced her plans to stay at the oasis rather than venture out into the blazing sun. From Indian Gardens to Plateau Point there is no shade. Wisdom prevailed in my wife; my stubborn nature won out in me. The boys? They followed their Dad, wanting to see all they could see. It was only another three miles roundtrip - what was that?
About a quarter mile out from Indian Gardens, the temperature started to become an issue. All the renewal of the oasis depleted. The sun rays pressed upon us indiscriminately. It was July and summer’s heat in the Canyon exceeds 100 degrees. Bright. Blistering. Formidable. Eventually, my stubborn-self relented. It was a unanimous call, we turned around and headed back to Indian Gardens. Too much is too much.
This past week, the stories from Mark and me, have dealt with situations that seem to be overwhelming. Prejudice and fear quickly escalate. We can find ourselves listening to voices and old tapes that limit our ability to interact with others who are different from ourselves. Instead of benefiting from the blessing of diversity, we entrench in our biases and limited experiences.
When the path gets rocky, we might attempt to give in to our fears and shut down our hearts. We stop reaching out with the kindness and compassion of Jesus. Instead of being open, our hands become fists. We are ready to fight and defend. We stop loving. At that moment, we leave the path of Christ that leads to life.
It is at these moments that we need to repent. Repentance is a turning around to God. Returning to the oasis of God’s abundant grace. Jesus invites each of us to turn to God. Away from our fears and prejudices, we are encouraged to see others in the way that God sees them - as children of the same Creator. God created us to be as diverse and different as the spectrum of light. Multi-colors and perspectives. There are a variety of spices and tones. Each of us has something of beauty and worth to share. We are all part of a puzzle that needs each piece to be complete.
But this will never happen, as long as we continue down the path with dogged determination to accomplish our agenda without alteration. In the heat of this day, wisdom invites us to stop, wipe our brow, and consider turning around.