The Children Keep Us Honest

WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
September 24th 2006
Rev. Mark R. Bradshaw-Miller
“The Children Keep Us Honest”
Mark 9:30-37

It is quite easy for us to stand back and criticize the disciples of Jesus. The writer of the Gospel of Mark makes that rather easy. Our passage this morning is a prime example. Despite Jesus repeated attempts to teach the disciples about the way of the cross and the life of a servant, they begin arguing about who the greatest is among them. It is clear that the disciples have, once again, missed the point.
I have always been curious about what measuring stick the disciples used to determine greatness. The passage gives no indication. Maybe they were arguing about who was the best healer, or who said the best prayers. Maybe it had something to do with who would take over when Jesus was gone. Whatever the disciples used as the gauge for greatness, Jesus was not pleased with their focus on self-interest and personal power.
Jesus does not respond with a reprimand or a long lecture. Instead, he teaches them about greatness when he says: “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” Then, Jesus emphasizes this teaching by saying: “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me…” The idea of serving and welcoming children may seem rather sweet to us but in the ancient world it conveyed a different meaning. In order to understand this we need to look at the well defined social hierarchy of the ancient world.
When it came to the issue of who was served and who did the serving things were fairly simple. The main concern was how one welcomed and served the rich and powerful. It is not an oversimplification to say that those at the top of the social structure were served and welcomed while those at the bottom did the serving and did welcoming. Given this reality, it is understandable that the disciples might long to be on top. After all, most of them had come from the absolute bottom of the social order.
Jesus undermines this whole establishment through the inclusion of a child. Children, in this ancient social order, were not considered the model of innocence and purity. In fact, children were considered non-people. It went beyond the old adage that, children are to be seen and not heard. Until children reached early adulthood, they were not even considered part of the family. They were only slightly higher than dogs. So, when Jesus says: “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me…” he is turning the whole social order on its head. The last will be first and the first will be last. Those who are great are the servants of all.
Serving, welcoming and hospitality are all at the heart of this passage. Jesus makes sure that his followers understand that this is not something reserved for only those at the top of the social order. It is safe to say that followers of Jesus are judged based how they welcome children. So, we must ask ourselves: “How are we doing at welcoming children?” However, before I address that question I want to share two lessons that I have learned about hospitality.
The first lesson came from my parents. Whenever we would invite people into our home, it always meant change. We were required to clean up which meant; the house, inside and out, and ourselves. I remember how they would play music and even light the candles we were never allowed to touch. Every visitor meant a change in our routine. In order to extend hospitality we had to do things differently. And from my perspective, as a child, it was often in ways that I did not always like. But, in response to my complaints I was always reminded that this was how you welcome people. Whether we like it or not, welcoming others, even those we know and like, into our space, means things have to change.
The second lesson I want to share is from my experience at a Christian Camp. I had the opportunity to take a group of High School students to a Young Life camp in the San Juan Mountain range in southern Colorado. Though I will always remember the beauty of the mountains I was truly impressed with the camp staff. I watched as the staff went out of their way to make all visitors feel welcome. They engaged each visitor in such a way that let them know they mattered, were special, and loved, all in the name of Jesus.
The staff of that camp served people, in Jesus name, with a passion I have rarely seen since. In my conversations with the staff I learned two things which still amaze me. The first was that they worked extremely long hours for very little pay. The second and most amazing thing was that there was a two-year waiting list just to serve on the kitchen staff, which was the lowest paying job at the camp.
I believe that these two experiences illuminate vital lessons for our church as we seek to thrive in a world which has changed right before our eyes. In order for us to be a truly welcoming community, to truly welcome people into our house, we must be willing to adjust our institutional lives. Just like it was for the first disciples of Jesus, this will not always be easy or comfortable. This is a challenge not only faced by Westminster but by many communities of faith. It is a foundational shift where churches move from spending the majority of its energy on the maintenance of the status quo of the institution and instead commit its time, energy, talents, and money to the mission of Jesus Christ, no matter the risk.
The other lesson has to do with our calling and remembering the foundation of our faith. In order to do what we do, we must always remember the ‘why.’ That means we must know why; we come to worship, sing in the choir, usher, serve on session, a committee, a task force, or participate in Christian education or a work day or even why we give money and pray to support the work of the church. If we forget the ‘why’ of our calling, all of this can easily become drudgery. And frankly, no one wants to be around a group of people who are miserable. That two year waiting list to work in a kitchen was not because the work was fun. It had everything to do with the fact that they knew why they were doing what they were doing. They knew who it was they were serving.
So, if your service in the church becomes drudgery it is time to re-evaluate. First, it is time to remind yourself who calls you to your work. Then, take a close look at your God-given gifts and talents. If what you love doing and what you are good at have nothing to do with how you are at work in the service of God then it is time to do something different. Jesus Christ calls each one of us to be servants, using the gifts and talents we have for the sake of the gospel. Who knows, we may just end up with a two year waiting list for work in the kitchen!
Which brings me back to the original question: “How are we doing at welcoming children?” There are many ways to approach this question. However, the most fruitful way to wrestle with this question is let it become our driving motivation. From a practical standpoint, basic church growth models repeat one simple fact. Focus on the children and people will come. But, beyond that selfish motive, it also serves as a good indicator. After all, when we are not good at welcoming children it is a good indication that we are more interested in being served than on serving others. So, while the question begins with how welcome children it should lead us to extend hospitality to everyone who walks through our doors or anyone who encounter throughout our lives.
The ultimate question then, the one where we finally get honest with ourselves is this: Are we willing to extend this sort of hospitality? Are we willing serve all people in the name of Jesus despite the inevitable changes? This is what the gospel is all about. “…on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest. Jesus sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” Then Jesus 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.” Amen.