A few days ago I wrote a post called “The First Will Be Last.” You can read it here.
It started a delightful conversation between me and a fellow blogger over at moriba’s corner.
It means so much to me that I’m able to share this time and space with another Christ follower. Our comments and posts have sparked curiosity, wonder and a deeper understanding for me of what our Lord meant by saying, “The first must be last.”
In today’s post, I’d like to reflect more and dig deeper into what was posted in response to my initial post. I’ll include a lot of snippets here, but if you’d like to read the entire piece by moriba sababu, here’s the link. It’s a good read, that’s for sure.
One portion of the scripture the original post is based on is:
He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”
Mark 9:36-37
I didn’t touch base on this part, but moriba expounded on it beautifully unleashing the core of what we both feel Jesus intended with his words. What do you think? Please comment below.
Here’s what moriba had to say…
“He asked them to consider welcoming a child in His name… but I do not believe He was referring to a child per se… but what a child represented then, and even now to many… a mini beast of burden, to be tolerated, until reaching the age of purpose… since only adults, (and only some at that), are considered worthy of absolute consideration…
I believe He meant the adults in our midst, those whom we look down on, whom we regard as insignificant, the surf, the peasant, the worker, those whom we consider little more than children… whom we push to one side when ‘we’ who are of more significance congregate amongst ourselves…
He was speaking of the untrained, untaught, uncorrupted amongst us whom the Father wished to know off Him, and thus those who would have in effect, brought them to the Father, would also be welcomed by the Father. ( Mark 9:37 KJV)”
I especially found this last section profound. If you know me, you know my regular fight for social justice awareness over at www.seedspublishers.org. (If you don’t know us, please check us out. We love Jesus and give a “voice to the voiceless.”) What struck me was the thought of the Son of God comparing children to the lowly in our society, as the children in a majority of countries still to this day deemed insignificant, a “burden”–as moriba put it–and not worthy of attention due to their lack of significance. Thank you, moriba, for reminding us that we are all significant in the eyes of the Lord.
My friend continues:
“For three, and a half years He travelled with His disciples, yet He washed their feet only once, and that, only when He was about to leave. He felt it was important for them to realize that although He was their teacher, He did not regard Himself greater than them… and what He was doing, was only an example, that they in turn, should not regard themselves greater than each other… and by extension, ‘we’ should not regard ourselves greater than another… for the Father would know, not by us making a show of washing feet, a mere outward appearance, but by our hearts… (John 13:3-17 KJV)
This may be my favorite thing he shared. This… This humbleness of Christ wrapped up in water, towels and dirty feet. This statement of equality. He did not come to be better than us even though He had every right to be. He is the Christ after all. But, He came to serve us. Christ serving me breaks my heart. I am not worthy! I fully understand now when John the Baptist said “I am not fit to tie his shoes.” I’m having a revelatory moment here, folks! Woo. Thank you, Jesus.
moriba concludes with:
I believe the Christ meant by His words, ‘the first must be last,’ is that he who is the first to understand the words, and the message of the Father, would be the last to acknowledge those words, thus the message would be understood… so the complete spectrum of the Father’s will would be adhered to… from the beginning, to the end… or as Scripture many times words it: the beginning that has no beginning, and the end that has no end… or as close to the will of God (I AM) as humanly possible…
I must be honest. I’m having a hard time wrapping my mind around this. moriba, would you consider another post to help me out with this part?
I am so blessed by this turn of events. When a post I wrote stirs wonder, conversation and inspires me to THINK and reflect on the true nature of God. Thank you, moriba, for being my friend on this journey. And, thank you to all of you for reading along with us!
So…what do you think? What did Jesus intend with his words, “the first will be last?” Please comment below.