In
our society and culture, so much time and energy is spent on greatness. Greatness
is elevated and rewarded. From athletics to artistic endeavors and business to
beauty … there seems to be a multi-leveled pursuit by millions in striving to be
the greatest. Why is it so deep in all
of us? This drive to be the greatest has
always been part of our human identity since the fall in the Garden of Eden. Pride was and can make us definitely susceptible allowing us to be corrupted if we are not aware and careful.
Even the disciples of Jesus strove to of the
greatest and spent time debating on who amongst their little group was indeed
the greatest, while they were at the same time being corrupted by their
own striving. Jesus stops their self-centered
aggrandizement, by completely flipping striving over to service as the value, to
which they should devote their lives. He adds a bit more to emphasize his point by
giving them the pure example of a child.
A child in their innocence is mostly concerned with loving and they are
genuinely mostly thankful. True followers
of Christ should become like little children, loving simply and fully with hearty
devotion, ever overflowing with thankfulness in their relationship.
“And
he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them,“If anyone would be
first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” And he took a child and put
him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever
receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me,
receives not me but him who sent me.”
(Mark 9:35-37 ESV)
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