Monday, March 23, 2015

Today’s Reading  |  Mark 9:30–37
They went on from there and 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.” (NRSV)

Reflection
The Great Teacher. Maybe it’s just me, but so many stories about Christ and the disciples amuse me. They show what happens when students (disciples) are so busy being teacher-pleasers that they either don’t think or overthink a situation. Just look at the first two verses. Jesus states pretty clearly that he will be betrayed and killed. Three days later he would rise again. Seems plain enough. Yet somehow “they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him.”

“People don’t just rise from the dead! Is he talking in parables again?” “These stories are killing me. Can’t he just tell us the answer?” “I don’t understand, but I don’t want to look stupid.”

I remember some of those feelings as a student. I see them in my students. As the disciples reach their destination, Jesus asks what they had been arguing about on the trip. “But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest.” I can almost hear their inner voices.

“How did he know that we were arguing?” “Quick make something up . . . no, he won’t believe that.”

Teaching, as I have come to understand it, is less about providing correct answers and more about helping others ask better questions. Christ continually forces us, his disciples, to ask ourselves better questions. He rarely provides a direct answer.

Here he uses a child as the example of how we, as disciples, should be or act. Children learn by watching and imitating. We show them how to do things: “Let me get that door for you.” We help them find places to do those things: “Go get the door for that lady.” Our hope is that he or she will eventually get the door for someone just because it needs to be done. Christ does the same for us. Don’t overthink. Look at it like a child. Christ continues to say, “Here is how the kingdom looks when you live it out. Now go find places to live it out.”

Prayer
Lord of all, help me to look at your word like a child again. Let it surprise me again. Let it challenge me anew for the sake of Christ and the kingdom. Amen.

Written by Rob Sinclair, Member of Fourth Presbyterian Church

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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