Are You All In?
Joe Killian • October 15, 2015
The Favorite Child. The Talented Child. The Athletic Child. These three labels appear on Maria’s cell phone each time any one of our children calls her. Several years ago Sarah jokingly went into Maria’s phone and titled her contact as, “Sarah, My Favorite Child.” Joey, never one to be outdone, changed his contact to “The Talented Child” and Joshua, not wanting to be left out, became “The Athletic Child.” I still chuckle every time I see their incoming calls.
We live in a world where children are put on pedestals for just about everything. They are often taught that being the best is the only way to be successful. The focus is on being honored for our accomplishments. This week’s Gospel provides a valuable lesson along these lines.
James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you." He replied, "What do you wish me to do for you?" They answered him, "Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left." Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?" They said to him, "We can." Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink, you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared." When the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John. Jesus summoned them and said to them, "You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many." Mark 10:35-45
James and John are seeking places of honor with Jesus. Their priorities are misplaced and Jesus quickly explains why. Then Jesus capitalizes on the teaching moment as He explains the concept to the other disciples. Referring to the Gentiles, Jesus flips the worldly paradigm regarding those in places of honor. In a very direct way Jesus says, “…it shall not be so among you.” Then as if the idea of being a servant isn’t strong enough to make His point Jesus actually elevates the place of a slave. It could not be clearer, especially in light of the fact that Jesus concludes his lesson by predicting His death.
Of course it is part of our human nature to want to feel important and appreciated. And there is nothing inherently wrong in being honored, so what is at the heart of Jesus’ point? What “shall not be so?” When we seek honor at the expense of others we make ourselves more important. Jesus is asking us to place others before ourselves. This is a frequent and consistent admonition that Jesus makes throughout the Gospels. Then why do we struggle to live as Jesus commands? Because it is hard! And more than ever our world reinforces that life is supposed to be easy.
Our kids like to tease each other about their self-assigned titles of honor. However, upon graduating from college, Joey and Sarah have both chosen to serve with City Year. As a part of the City Year Corps, Joey and Sarah have worked to support students who need extra care and attention, focusing on attendance, behavior, and course performance through in-class tutoring, mentoring, and after school programs. (I got this from the City Year website so click here
if you'd like to learn more.)
Joey and Sarah made a commitment to work through the challenging and sometimes heartbreaking situations they face with these underprivileged kids. They understood from the start that it was going to be hard but as corps members they were “all in”.
Jesus expects the same from me and you.
The story continues...I'm still working on the pondless waterfall in our front yard. I shared this project with you two weeks ago in Playin' In the Dirt. Since then I've had to rework sections of the stream three different times because we were losing too much water. I am now an expert on evaporation rates and excessive splash, two causes of water loss. This morning I tore the whole thing apart and I'm starting over.
Have you ever watched DreamWorks Animation's Kung Fu Panda? I stumbled across it recently and thoroughly enjoyed Jack Black's performance as a bumbling, noodle selling, kung fu enthusiast, giant panda named P o. Set in ancient China, it is more than a humorous slapstick comedy. The core message of the story jumped out at me as I have been focusing recently on the concept of being. Po is shockingly identified as the Dragon Warrior and he reluctantly enters training. The goal of the training is to receive the Dragon Scroll, which is believed to hold the secret to limitless power. Now I don't want to spoil the big reveal but I will say that what Po realizes is the same as what I speak to in the concept of being and authentic identity. So, where do we find the secret to our "power?" I praise You, because I am wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works! My very self You know. Psalm 139:14 God knows it; and we must seek Him with all of our hearts in order to find it. As it was in the movie, the answer is stunningly simple. Our authentic identity is already within us. The challenge for Po in the movie was in seeing himself accurately and not the way others saw him. Even his teacher scoffed at the idea that Po was anything more than an underachieving dreamer who overate when he was anxious. Po's problems are rooted in the fact that he believes the lie of his false identity much more than he does his authentic one. Is it possible that you do the same? Who could have imagined that beneath all of Po's girth lived the Dragon Warrior? What's hidden from view in you? Seek God for understanding as to who He created you to be. Spoiler Alert: the secret of your limitless power is already in you. God placed it there and He wants you to be who He authentically created you to be.
Maria and I have been playing in the dirt a lot recently. First we replaced our French drain and then we embarked on a creative project intended to change the entire look of our front yard. My brother Jeffrey and I installed a new front step.
