September 24
James 3:13-4:3, Mark 9:30-37
The James reading is very much in line with what we read a couple of weeks ago; very clear and frank discussion of the Christian life. He's talking to folk who are very much caught up in the pursuit of worldly wisdom (do we know about that in New Haven?) and are proud of their accomplishments and relentless in their ambition. He cautions them that all that ambition can have negative results in the rest of their lives (I read a quote recently whose source I don't remember to the effect that behind every successful person lies a path of wreckage). James contrasts this kind of ambition for success with those whose lives show evidence of peace, of gentleness, among other things including this interesting phrase "willingness to yield." When I think of the Donald Trumps of this world, or Bill Gates, "willingness to yield" doesn't come to mind. Although Gates recently yielded a large amount of power to pursue some other fruits. Interesting.
The Mark coordinates nicely with these sentiments. It's hard in our context to imagine the place of children in the time of Jesus. They were, quite literally, invisible. Now with media and advertising so focussed on children as consumers, it seems impossible to imagine a culture where they were meant to be servants, not ever meant to claim anything by way of possessions or time or power for themselves, in fact in many ancient languages the two words, child and servant, are the same word. Note that in Mark Jesus does not say, "become like a child," but "whoever welcomes or receives (depending on translator) a child in my name welcomes me and the one who sent me." Welcoming and receiving the powerless, the invisible is to welcome Jesus, not to aspire to welcome and receive only the great and powerful.
The implication here, however, is not just to say hi to someone, or even offer the "extravagant welcome" the UCC Still Speaking campaign urges us to do to church visitors. Jesus calls the disciples to serve these folk, the "least of these" from Matthew 26. The greatest, in Jesus' equation, are those who make themselves of less stature than the least, servants of the least, the invisible, the powerless.
I'm grappling with this word "welcome" or "receive" in this context, as we seek a new measurement of greatness. shelly
The James reading is very much in line with what we read a couple of weeks ago; very clear and frank discussion of the Christian life. He's talking to folk who are very much caught up in the pursuit of worldly wisdom (do we know about that in New Haven?) and are proud of their accomplishments and relentless in their ambition. He cautions them that all that ambition can have negative results in the rest of their lives (I read a quote recently whose source I don't remember to the effect that behind every successful person lies a path of wreckage). James contrasts this kind of ambition for success with those whose lives show evidence of peace, of gentleness, among other things including this interesting phrase "willingness to yield." When I think of the Donald Trumps of this world, or Bill Gates, "willingness to yield" doesn't come to mind. Although Gates recently yielded a large amount of power to pursue some other fruits. Interesting.
The Mark coordinates nicely with these sentiments. It's hard in our context to imagine the place of children in the time of Jesus. They were, quite literally, invisible. Now with media and advertising so focussed on children as consumers, it seems impossible to imagine a culture where they were meant to be servants, not ever meant to claim anything by way of possessions or time or power for themselves, in fact in many ancient languages the two words, child and servant, are the same word. Note that in Mark Jesus does not say, "become like a child," but "whoever welcomes or receives (depending on translator) a child in my name welcomes me and the one who sent me." Welcoming and receiving the powerless, the invisible is to welcome Jesus, not to aspire to welcome and receive only the great and powerful.
The implication here, however, is not just to say hi to someone, or even offer the "extravagant welcome" the UCC Still Speaking campaign urges us to do to church visitors. Jesus calls the disciples to serve these folk, the "least of these" from Matthew 26. The greatest, in Jesus' equation, are those who make themselves of less stature than the least, servants of the least, the invisible, the powerless.
I'm grappling with this word "welcome" or "receive" in this context, as we seek a new measurement of greatness. shelly
posted by shelly @ 11:20 AM
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