Mark 9:38-50

Find a way to separate yourself from whatever’s going on around you so you can fully enter into today’s passage. if you haven’t read the introduction to Mark’s Gospel, read it here.

Re-read Jesus’ words in Mark 9:35-36 and then read Mark 9:38-50 with those words in mind.

The desire to be special is a powerful human drive. Almost everyone, unless their spirit has been beaten down to the point of breaking, is exhilarated by the admiration of others. But in the kingdom that Jesus has repeatedly described to the disciples and the crowds, it is more blessed to lift other people up than to be exalted. It is a hard lesson to take in, and John, in his irritation simply voices the jealousy that all of us have felt at one time or another.

We are the chosen ones! We are the wisest and most worthy of admiration! There is no room for others at the table of privilege.

But Jesus continues to drive the lesson home with even more force. There is no scarcity in the kingdom of God. The natural laws of the kingdom are generosity and multiplication, and because of that it is in seeking the good of others that we are filled with good things ourselves. So if our stinginess or drive for power and privilege are rotting our souls and robbing us of the blessings of the kingdom, we should be quick to rid ourselves of them so we can freely and generously tend to the well-being of the “little ones” around us.

Take a moment to be quiet in the presence of Jesus and allow the awareness of his unmerited favor to wash over you.

Read Mark 9:38-50 again imagining that Jesus is speaking the words directly to you.

Because of Jesus, God sees us as we were created to be. We are fully loved, fully accepted and whole in Jesus. Our true identity and worth are discovered only as we follow Jesus and become more like him, and we are only able to truly give to others when our identity is secure in him.

Do you have any desires that may be blocking you from receiving blessings that Jesus wants to give you? Perhaps a desire to be special? To be admired? To be powerful? Talk to Jesus about this for a moment.

What would it look like for you to care for the “little ones” God has put in your life?

End your time today asking Jesus to give you a deep sense of your identity in him. Then ask him to open your eyes to see the people around you who need to be invited to the table. If you sense an invitation to action, make a plan to follow through.

If these meditations are helpful to you, please forward them to couple of friends.

Interested in going deeper? Check out The Everyday Jesus Follower’s Guide and blog.