King of the Hill

What does it mean to be great?

Jesus and his disciples passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again.” But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him. 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.” - Mark 9:30-37

Sometimes the apostles sound like young boys on the playground, playing King of the Hill or something like that.

Boys will be boys, they say, and that may be the message here for all of us grown boys. It's not about us.

Greatness in God's Kingdom is a given. It exists in all of God's Creation, including everything and everyone around us.

How great is it to have someone to talk to? We don't know until we are alone. And then it is too late to realize we failed to appreciate the companionship, the presence of God in others.

Jesus uses the example of a child. Is it because a child is innocent? Or is it a reflection of who we are in God's eyes?

We are all God's children, and just like when we played together and took turns being great in each other's eyes, Jesus wants us to enjoy one another, to love one another.

It is not a bad life when we do that. It is actually great.

More to come...