Even though we do not have a caste system in Nirth America, we often view wealth by a layer of status and privilege. I catch myself comparing possessions and power as I read the news or see the worth of a hone or car. But Jesus had a completely different view. The vulnerable and weak are to be welcomed and cared for. How we take care of children says a lot about who we are. My interaction with those who are less fortunate highlights who I am internally.
“The great “divine conspiracy” of God is to overcome the human kingdoms of this world—at both the individual and the corporate or governmental level—with love, justice, and knowledge of truth. “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign forever and forever” (Rev. 11:15). This is an eternal reality. The question we have pursued time and again is: How can we best participate in this reality as soon as possible?” - Excerpt, The Divine Conspiracy Continued by Dallas Willard & Gary Black, Jr.
“A servant spirit is evident in how we view and treat those who have the least standing in a hierarchal world. “Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, ‘Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me” (Mark 9:36–37). In a society in which one’s value was tied to what she could contribute, a child had the least amount of value, even less value than a slave. The child was a financial liability until they were old enough to be apprenticed out (for a boy) or engaged to be married (for a girl). Until then, they had little to offer. They only consumed the family’s resources. In their hierarchal society, they were insignificant and unimportant.” - Excerpt, Following Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark by Steve Langford
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