Leaving that region, they traveled through Galilee. Jesus didn’t want anyone to know he was there, for he wanted to spend more time with his disciples and teach them. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies. He will be killed, but three days later he will rise from the dead.” They didn’t understand what he was saying, however, and they were afraid to ask him what he meant.

After they arrived at Capernaum and settled in a house, Jesus asked his disciples, “What were you discussing out on the road?” But they didn’t answer, because they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest. He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.”

Mark 9:30-35

Dear God, even now, it is so hard for us to get what Jesus is saying. And we have the texts. We have the history. We have hindsight. It is so easy to look at this and question why the disciples heard Jesus talking about his betrayal, death, and resurrection, and then wonder how they could possibly, one road trip later, be arguing over who would be the greatest in the kingdom. Even if they didn’t understand what he was telling them about the crucifixion, resurrection, and ultimate plan of the Gospel in that moment, how did they get to the point where they were positioning themselves for glory?

But don’t we do it too? Don’t I do it too? I want to be seen as smarter than others. I want to be seen as better. I was just with my parents for a couple of days. I have older siblings. I want to show my parents I’m the better child. There are people in our community who know me. I want to impress them and make them respect me. How can I see Jesus’s example and hear his teachings and ever adopt any of those positions?

Father, I am sorry. I don’t think I was all that you wanted me to be over the last 48 hours. I wasn’t terrible or anything, but I was closer to what Jesus saw in his disciples that I was like the little child he put before them just after this to make his point. I have a lot of work to do this week. I will interact with a lot of people on behalf of the nonprofit where I work. Make my contacts with them not about me but about you. About bringing glory to you. About helping them to draw closer to you. About my utmost for your highest.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen