Receiving Christ.

Mark 9:33 - 37

They came to Capernaum, he asked them “ what were you discussing on the way? “ 

They kept silent, for on the way they had ARGUED with one another about who was the greatest. And he sat down and called the 12. And he said to them, “if anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” And He took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms he said to them, “whoever receives one such child and my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”

The mother stood at the door of her daughter’s school bus long enough to prove she cared not for the traffic piling up around her. With confidence, she conversed with the driver about whatever was more important to her than all of our busy agendas. 

And then, slowly, from the bus descended a steel walker and a small framed girl reaching for it. Her brightly dressed mother assisted her descent from one world into another. Into the busy street she entered, but much more than that surrounded her. For she entered into the safety of dignity that her mother had created for her. She was worthy of our time, our pause. And as slowly (or quickly) as she could, she crossed the road, cars on every side, making her way to the grassy patch outside their apartment building. The courage that emanated from them was most noticeable. They believed they were worthy of this moment, whether we agreed or not.