Although we’ve had several instances recently of the disciples being schooled about power, authority, status, service and humility, it seems they are as slow as we are to understand and integrate the values, priorities and qualities of the kingdom of God.
You can listen to the gospel reading above, or you can find all the lectionary texts here. And if you like to listen to those too, they are in the audio track below.
Humility and servant leadership are very difficult to grasp and I wonder if that is in part because we so often hear these teachings from a place of defensiveness. Either we are defending our sense of worth, or we feel we don’t have a sense of our worth and we are defending against the constant pain of that – or you may find yourself swinging between these two, which is also quite normal. These teachings are hard to get hold of when you aren’t sure about your worth and how it is grounded in your being – and how to return to this when you (inevitably) lose sight of it.
I wonder if, along with continuing to observe how you see status operating as you meet others out walking or other encounters, you might also begin to watch and notice:
- what you tell yourself about your worth,
- who’s opinions matter to you and
- where you find yourself becoming defensive or reaching for something more to reassure you of your worthiness.
How do you see worthiness affecting the exchanges in the gospel this week?
“would you become a pilgrim on the road of love? The first condition is that you make yourself humble as dust and ashes.” ~Rumi
