Roadtrip

June 30

Read: Mark 9:30-37

Roadtrip

“But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest.” (v.34)

There is nothing like a road trip to spark up some conversation. When you are traveling together with others there is no telling what sort of conversations you will have “along the way”. What is it that captures our imaginations? What topics could induce spirited debate between us and those people we are on the road with? In short, what is it that we talk about “on the way”?

It is not uncommon for us to have “who is the greatest” conversations. Greatest artist, greatest movie, greatest athlete, greatest politician, greatest car… whatever! We are infatuated with our own ideas of “the greatest”… and who or what exactly IS the greatest. Here is the hard truth: Jesus’ ideas about “the greatest” are different from ours. Jesus’ “path to greatness” does not look all that appealing to us. This is why, when he outlines what must happen to him (rejection, suffering, death, burial, and resurrection the disciples “did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.” (v.32) The disciples didn’t want to hear it… they didn’t want to hear more of this crazy plan… they were afraid to ask for clarification and find out exactly what Jesus was talking about.

The fear of the disciples transitions to (what I believe to be) a touch of embarrassment. Jesus asks them what they were talking about “on the way”… and they don’t want to tell him. (v.34) Are we embarrassed to tell Jesus what it is we are arguing about? Are we embarrassed to share with Jesus what we are talking about “on the way”? Do we some how… deep down… know that the things that consume us and that we argue about are actually a little foolish? Do we realize that so much of what we quarrel and fight about is rooted in our desire to be “the greatest”? Are we actively ignoring the path that Jesus points to that leads to “greatness”?

“If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” (v.35) This is what Jesus says. His path to “greatness” begins with a lowering of oneself and elevation of others. He demonstrates this with a child on his lap. Children in the ancient world were not highly valued. Taking care of children was not seen as particularly glamorous or prestigious… it was not a sign of “greatness”. Jesus declares, ““Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.” (v.37) To attend to the lowly, the overlooked, the un-glamorous or non-prestigious, is to be received by God himself. To seek to care for others, even to the extent of stooping down and picking up “children” is to not only be “received by Jesus” but also by “the one who sent Jesus”… The Father. What could be greater than being “received by God”!?!

Jesus is clearly laying out for us the path to “greatness”. Jesus is showing us to route to “first place. (v.35) Has his way - a way of “great reversal” as my friend Jeff Johnson likes to say - captured our imaginations? What do we talk about while we are on the “roadtrip of life”? What are the “spirited debates” and “arguments” between us truly about? Are we seeking greatness on our terms or on the terms of Jesus? Are we willing to stoop down and care for “the little children” around us? This is particularly important when so many around us are acting like children! I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be embarrassed to answer Jesus when he asks me “what were you discussing on the way?” May the Lord grant us courage to walk HIS PATH to greatness! “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all…Whoever receives (the overlooked, unglamorous, non-prestigious) in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.” Love you guys. - JDP