"But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." Matthew 23:11-12
These verses come after an explanation from Jesus about the order of things, but their order is a little difficult for us to understand, since they go against what we think about higher positions.
I think it is safe to say that some of the most powerful people in this country and in the world are the ones with the most money. Praise be to God that we actually have some of these rich people who are philanthropists, who give so much of their wealth to those who are in dire situations. But, at the same time, there are many of the wealthy who like to make sure that we all know that they are well off. Even worse, still, is that we have many in our churches who hoard wealth and do the bare minimum for the less fortunate.
But Jesus shows us a different way of doing this, both in his words and in his actions. He has shown that he, the greatest being ever to have walked on this earth, took the time to heal the sick, tend to the poor, and speak to the outcast. Jesus has given us an example that we need to follow. Alongside that, Jesus shows that it is not for our personal worth that we do these things, for if that's what we have in our heart - our pride, our position in the food chain - then we will be humiliated.
To follow this teaching means that we need to work. We need to give not only our treasure, but our time and our talent as well. It's one thing to write a small check and call it done. We need to go out there, to volunteer, to teach, to evangelize, to help. As Presiding Bishop Curry said, we are not called to stay in our place, but we are called to follow Jesus wherever he leads us. And, as we approach Lent, it is time to prepare ourselves for the journey that leads us through the Passion of Jesus. Let today be that preparation.
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