Mark 9:30-37 (NRSV)
Read Mark 9:30-37 on biblegateway.com
Verse 33Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, "What were you arguing about on the way?"
Verse 34But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest.
Verse 35He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all."
Verse 36Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them,
Verse 37"Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me."
Devotion
In the first part of today's reading we see one of the hallmarks of foolishness. As the disciples travel with Jesus, he says something they don't understand. Rather than seek wisdom from Christ himself, they are afraid to ask. We, too, often don't understand what's going on, and rather than seek wisdom from a mentor, from the person we didn't understand or even from the Bible, we become afraid. We are afraid of looking foolish—and thus we become foolish.
We need sources of wisdom in our daily life in order to know whom and what to trust. This is increasingly hard in an increasingly complex and divided society. It's too easy to get caught in an echo chamber in which we hear only ourselves. As the church, we are a place that offers wisdom from Jesus, who declares himself to be "the truth" (John 14:6). Let's do what the disciples were afraid to do, and look to Jesus for God's truth and wisdom.
Prayer
Dear Lord, guide us in ways of wisdom and help us to not be afraid to ask for help and wisdom when we need it. In Jesus' name. Amen.