Ordinary 25

by Bruce Green

He (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 he 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."

This morning we hear Jesus teaching us the essentials of leadership, and the prime example comes from our welcoming children. Our confusion over greatness, even when we hear only resurrection and not crucifixion, we get into quarrels that make little sense. Furthermore, we need children in church more than they need to be here. We need them for their example of leadership, to show us the real direction we need to pursue, and we need their example of a godly life. We need them so that we can welcome God.

• Children need adults and what adults do matters. A persistent judgment leveled against parents today is this: they gladly provide their children with every resource: Leaders, coaches, teachers, tutors, and youth workers. Certainly children should be happy and well-adjusted. They have everything money can buy. But they do not have the listening ear of Mom and Dad. "Too busy, later, not now, I'm working hard for your good." For want of a quiet, caring intimacy, a child's primary sense of self-worth is lost. For want of security and self-worth, the child is lost. In most churches, members find it quite easy to pass a youth by; they are more timid to engage a child than a stranger in conversation. Frequently, when youth are on committees, little sensitivity is expressed toward making them comfortable and enabling them to contribute. (Thomas Peterson, The Needle's Eye, C.S.S. Publishing Company, 1990)

One description of life in the twentieth century notes that World War II took away the young adulthood of many people. After the war, they returned home, married, had children (the Baby Boom), and tried to catch up with their lost youth. This lack of attention to children led to the sixties and the generation gap, filled with things, rather than personal relationships with parents. Relating to children changed, and, unfortunately, this change escaped many people in the church. That led to the greatly reduced number of children of "The Great Generation" in church. The issues the boomers raised - race, sex, and gender - frightened "the Great Generation" and the Great Generation was in charge. That made it more difficult for the church to respond to the legitimate issues raised by the boomers.

Children have often been difficult to understand or relate to on our terms. In fact, Jesus' gesture was profoundly disturbing, a fact that we find it difficult to appreciate. In that time and place, children had little status, perhaps ranking below a woman and above a slave. Beyond doing a few simple household chores, the child was of little value. The child could not repay the cost of his or her upkeep, and could not help anyone to advance politically or professionally. Children spent their time in the care of women, and knew better than to interfere in men's affairs. Unwanted children were sometimes abandoned or left to die of exposure, a practice that we find it difficult to imagine, but a practice that is still alive in many parts of the world today. For a rabbi to take a child in his arms in the presence of his disciples was remarkable indeed-a gesture that was compelling because it was so unusual.

Phillips Brooks, the most renowned of Episcopal preachers, said, "Greatness, after all, in spite of its name, appears to be not so much a certain size as a certain quality in human lives. It may be present in lives whose range is very small."

Why did Jesus use children again and again? No one knows, and yet each of us knows. Each of us knows, if we are honest with ourselves, that the really good things and healthy relationships are ours rarely, if ever, because we have earned them or worked for them. They are ours because of the love and forgiveness and generosity of some one else. They are ours because of the love and forgiveness and generosity of God.

I would leave you with story about children helping us to be in the presence of God.

• A few years ago, at the Seattle Special Olympics, nine contestants, all physically or mentally disabled, assembled at the starting line for the 100-yard dash. At the gun, they all started out, not exactly in a dash, but with a relish to run the race to the finish and win. All, that is, except one little boy who stumbled on the asphalt, tumbled over a couple of times, and began to cry. The other eight heard the boy cry. They slowed down and looked back. Then they all turned around and went back. Every one of them. One girl with Down's Syndrome bent down and kissed him and said: "This will make it better." Then all nine linked arms and walked together to the finish line. Everyone in the stadium stood, and the cheering went on for several minutes. People who were there are still telling the story. Why? Because deep down we know this one thing: What matters in this life is more than winning for ourselves. What matters in this life is helping others win, even if it means slowing down and changing our course.

That reminds me of another text - "And a little child shall lead them."

(Comments to Bruce at BRUCE.GREEN@ecunet.org .)