| June 10, 2007
From The First Baptist Church in America pulpit
Jesus was always noticing people others overlooked, the poor, women, various and sundry sinners. And especially kids. In that society, they were seen as gifts from God, who’d be useful some day. But they didn’t count much for anything. But Jesus liked them just the way they were. Which was unusual for a male. In spite of “The DaVinci Code,” we’re not certain Jesus ever fathered a child. But he’d have made a good one, because he felt at home with babies. Not once did he ask the mothers to take them out to the nursery. But his disciples sure did. “We’ve got a kingdom to run here. Get these kids outa here!” When they scolded the moms for bringing their kids to church, Jesus blew up. “The kingdom belongs to such as these!” Full citizens in the city of God! And not just when they grow up either. But now. This may not strike you as unusual today, but you can bet it was back then.
When I was growing up, the stated behavior model was: “Children are to be seen and not heard.” And, accordingly, most kids stayed in their place. But today, it’s the other way around. Our society idealizes our young, sprucing them up in designer fashions, parading them on stage, complete with lipstick, belly rings, pierced ears, and tattoos; insisting that a place is set for them at the table. The works. Pushing our kids to be better than best. You’ve seen those bumper stickers: “My kid’s on the honor role at -------” Or ‘My kid beat up the kid who made the honor role at ------.” The results can be devastating. Remember little Jon Benet Ramsey out in Colorado? Her parents turned her into a little dead achiever. Kids today are much more visible and audible in the world of adults than ever.
Everybody knows kids are innocent, playful, open, vulnerable, full of wonder and mostly loving. But they can get down and nasty. Go see the true story at the Cinema, “Gracie.” But if you have to be around them for anything more than fifteen minutes a day, you discover they’re capable of being noisy, clingy, destructive, vindictive, self-centered and surprisingly cruel. They’d soon flatten some other kid who dares to play with their toy! In that regard kids are like horses--they’ll get away with anything within their power to get away with. It’s their job.
So Jesus wasn’t holding kids up as moral examples when he took them into his arms and blessed them. He didn’t say we should imitate the children. Just that when we welcome them in his name, we welcome him. And when we welcome him we welcome God. Now that’s a fascinating parallel. Remember Matthew 25? He gave them their ‘final exam,’ along with answer ahead of time. “If you’ve done it to one of the least of these...you have done it unto me.” No doubt Jesus was thinking about kids too. If you want to be close to God, then get down on the floor with a kid. Blow some bubbles, sing some songs, get some hugs, giggle awhile. Never mind that you have more important things to do, like mowing the lawn or earning a living. Kids are not a filler. They’re prime time. And opening yourself to them is a lot better for your soul than completing a project, meeting a deadline, getting a raise, or even ... reading the Bible.
But keep in mind that with kids there’s no payback. They might yell your name or hug your thighs the next time they see you. But you can’t mention them as references on your resume. Or expect them to give you a loan to get your car fixed. That’s because kids are not in charge of anything. Or ought not be. Kids can’t buy you anything. They won’t remember your birthday. Or invite you over to supper with your buddies. Nothing like that. They don’t have much to offer. No status, no influence, no income, no power. Alan Jackson’s song “Summertime Blues,” has a line that goes: “I called on my congressman but he said ‘nope.’ I’d like to help you son but you’re too young to vote.” Indeed they are. They can’t vote, but that makes them great in God’s eyes!
If we would be great children are just the ticket. Because they allow big people to work on our greatness by realizing it’s what we do when we think nobody’s looking, with somebody who doesn’t count, for no expected reward. You could call it character. Or doing what’s right because it’s right. But that’s what ushers you into the kingdom of God. This is another of Mark’s reversals about how life in the kingdom gets turned upside-down, where “the first shall be last and the last first,” and all the rest who think they’re on top are in for a big surprise. He’s not just talking about kids either. But all the little people in the world; Third World, with no status, or food or medical care or income. Dare I even suggest today’s hated minorities, the gays or god-forbid, immigrants? Maybe the impact of that helps you to see the radical nature of Jesus’ grace. He dares us to welcome them as God-bearers, just as sure as Mother Mary was. He’s saying God’s scheme of things is the opposite of ours. And greatness is only available to those who aren’t afraid of it.
The opportunity to teach this lesson came about because the disciples got caught playing a favorite church-game “King of the Hill.” You know well how it goes. They’re walking along going at it, trying to out-do one another and Jesus wants to know: “What are y’all fussing about now?” And nobody said a word. That question was all it took, because they’d been jockeying for position, “who’s the best?” The most likely to succeed disciple. You know our favorite kind of life-games and family games? Peter, James, and John, they’re the faves. They got to go to all the special places with Jesus. And among them, Peter figured he had first place all sewn-up. Remember he was the first one to recognize Jesus as the Messiah up in Caesarea. But he refused to accept Jesus’ forecast of his death. The death-talk is what kicked all of the religious one-upmanship up. The disciples didn’t get it. But they dared not ask either. So they got as far away from it by playing status games. “Who’s number one? Mine’s biggern’ yours.” Let’s get our pecking order straight, OK? When it looks like your world’s coming to an end, bring up something that makes you look big and strong and in control. That’s the disciples. It’s also the church, and the opposite of childlike humility.
“Y’all want to be first? Then go to the back of the line.” Jesus knew they wouldn’t get it. So he had to show them what he meant by “taking a little child up in his arms.” The epitome of humility. They wanted to know who’s the greatest. OK, fine. So he said “Here it is!” Two feet tall, limited vocabulary, unemployed. Net worth, zero. A nobody. Embracing a nobody is how you become great in Gods’ eyes: “to be servant of all.” I’ve heard it said that what makes a country great, is how it treats it minorities. If that’s true, we’re not doing so well. We’re soooo into majorities (except for the electoral college).
The last in line? What’s with that? It’s backwards from the way our families, our society, and mostly our churches work. And it sounded as unbelievable to them as is does to us. You can see our status-games in play over in Iraq, or in Hollywood. Just making sure that the proper order is maintained, “first go first and the last go last.” What sense does it make for the last to go first? I can’t answer that. It’s not fair. But if it were fair it wouldn’t be grace. I can tell you how I feel when somebody breaks in line; not taking their turn. I can only tell you what Jesus said. And I don’t have a clue how to operate a church or a business or a government or a family by turning it over to those with the least to offer. But you know and I know that God’s values are not our values. Maybe that’ll keep us a little bit humble. Isn’t that what Jesus’ is really after? “Don’t get too big for your britches,” the old folks used to say down home.
So Jesus grabbed some kid and set her before all of us as an eternal object lesson, to remind us God organizes things differently. If we want to welcome God into our lives, then there’s no one we may safely ignore. He might show up in any of us. Especially the little ones. And the poor ones. The ones to watch are not the well-off, well-fed, well-heeled, but that poor widow who gave only 2 coppers. But she’s the one to watch.
In the Kingdom of God, the most unlikely people are the most likely to be bearers of God. Some live down in Mexico, some on our streets. But all who are stuck at the end of the line, who are always last. In God’s kingdom, the “first are last.” In God’s kingdom, loving is more important than winning. In God’s kingdom, little boys run the United Nations. Little girls are Bishops. And servants sit down at the tables they’re supposed to shine. And the greatest disciple in the eyes of Jesus, is the one who waits on them.
If you’d like to be a part of this kind of kingdom, called “church,” where everything as we know it is upside-down, and inside-out, there is a way. Get in the back of the line! If you want to make God smile, then find some nobody to bless. Because “doing it to the least of them, is doing it to him.” Back |
