First and last.
Since I've been impersonating a preacher recently, my pastor invited me to a lectionary Bible study at Winchester FUMC this morning. He said he thought I would contribute a lot, which, I think, was his over-nice way of saying I could probably learn a thing or two.
As late as last night I was still debating on whether to go or not. For one thing 8:30 a.m. is pretty much the middle of the night for me. And I would be one of the younger people there, probably the only lay person, the least educated and definitly the least experienced when it comes to preaching and teaching. I thought I would feel uncomfortable or out of place in that situation.
But some of those are the reasons I wanted to go: to associate with some people who are smarter, wiser and more experienced than I am. And Stacie more or less ordered me to go - she even called me this morning to make sure I got up.
So I went.
There were eight people in attendance, mostly United Methodist: a couple of retired ministers, Jack, Nan, a PCUSA minister, one Episcopalian, a local pastor who is in Seminary at the University of the South, and me.
I did feel a little out of place at first but I was welcomed warmly with barely a mention of my lack of credentials.
The discussion was not quite what I had expected, though. It was very informal. When I reminded the Episcopalian minister that we had previously met, he said, "Oh yeah, I think it was at one of the local bars..." I'm not sure if it was me or him that the others were staring at after that comment.
In addition to the week's texts, we discussed the Pope, an upcoming Senate election, the wars in the Middle East, and the immigration controversy.
The discussion proper centered on the Mark reading and the idea of 'first and last'. There were a lot of good ideas thrown around and I took a lot of notes and spoke very little. Someone talked about the inclination most of us have to put ourselves first. We want to be the greatest just like the disciples. Jesus' message is clear: 'looking out for number one' is not the way to be great. Assuming the role of the servant, letting go of what we possess, helping the helpless - these are the ways to become 'great'.
As these things were being discussed, I couldn't help but think that part of the reason I was reluctant to attend this meeting was that I would be a lot closer to 'last' than 'first' in this group.
But I like to be FIRST. I like to be the center of attention. I like to be the authority figure. I'm the guy with all the answers... At least in my own mind.
If any of that is ever true, it certainly wasn't true in the meeting today. And maybe that's the point. Maybe that's what I needed to hear.
At any rate, it gave me a good idea for a sermon...
posted by Art @ 10:43 AM
3 Comments
3 Comments:
I always think that whole first/last thing is like when you are on an airplane and the flight attendants tell you to put on your OWN oxygen mask first, and THEN help those around you. I am a firm believer in the idea that you are NO HELP to anyone if you do not take care of yourself first. And this is a hard thing to do when you see need. But it is necessary, I believe. And I personally know that if I feel deficient or below par, then I am no use to others. Just my 2 cents.
Oh, and I used to HATE it as a kid in CCD class when the teachers would say, in a sing-song voice, "the first shall be last and the last shall be first," and then make the class file out from the BACK of the room. Stupid, pointless and annoying, and I got the feeling they did it just to be superior and unpredictable. (Like we couldn't predict it after the first time it happened. DUH.)
I did NOT force you to go, I just passionately urged you to go knowing that you would, at least, get a little something out of it!
You ARE almost always, without a doubt, the man with all the answers! I have never known someone with so much knowledge in so many different fields as you, but every once in a while, one needs to sit back and soak up knowledge from others and I think today was an excellent opportunity for you to do that and I'm glad you partook. Whether or not you ever go back, that's up to you, I just really wanted you to have that experience at least once!
Susan, good point. There are definitely some practical things like that to consider. Most people do that ME FIRST thing naturally though, and many, unfortunately, stop there or even go to extremes with it. I think the point of the reading is that most of us have that inclination by nature and never get around to the 'help others'part. Mark's Jesus seems to say: fight that urge when it goes to extremes and be aware of it and minimize it if it hinders your ability to help others. And helping others is, to me, one of the main goals of Christianity. In theory, at least...
Stacie, I never said you 'forced' me to do anything. That must be some kind of Freudian thing there... I said that you "more or less ordered me to go" (which is true) and, as you know, I always do what you say:)
And yeah, I have all the answers. But as you have often pointed out, they are sometimes just as often the wrong answers!
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