Do not Shun Greatness

Read the evangel of the apostle Saint Mark. Focus your attention on chapters 9 and 10.

The concept he addresses is the struggle to define, and live out greatness. Each of the synoptic gospel writers have a symbol associated to them, Mark's is the lion. In African cultures the lion is oft seen as the embodiment of courage, and greatness. A banality of Habesha culture, is for family and friends to refer to young boys as anbessa*! Mark uses chapters 9 and 10 of his good news to elucidate the ambiguities present in the term greatness, and in the normative command "be great". He negates the definition of greatness that can be found, while perusing the melodies of rap albums. Without dwelling too long on the negative aspects, Mark gives a plan of positive action. He tells us how to be great.

"And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way? But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest. And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all". (Mark 9:33-35)

Mark illustrates that the apostles already knew that to be great meant to serve one another. Their problems arose in taking this concept to its logical limits. Understanding it dialectically. I find that some humans are adept at learning from the mistakes of others, while others learn by putting themselves through a trial by fire.I fall into the latter category. Trial and error, then understanding. I learn from the failures and successes that I experience.

A friend of mine and I used to compete in service to one another. This is nerdy, silly, and theologically unsound. We would race to see who gets to open the door for other people. We would race to see who gets to open the door for each other. We would stubbornly say "now you go, no you go, please, oh I insist, this is ridiculous, you are stubborn, you are a stalworth, budge, I shall not, how long are you going to continue this"? Our hearts were in the right place, but our actions were not. At the end of the day, both intent and actions must be weighed. However, I do give heed to actions. Rivalry between Christians regarding who is greater, via their service, should not take place. Here we can take a note from the Muslims, and chant "ALLAHU AKBAR, ALLAHU AKBAR, ALLAHU AKBAR"!**

"And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire. And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you? They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, on on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory". (Mark 10:35-37)

This is an instantiation of the negative competition referenced above. Don't worry, Jesus clears up the confusion.

"But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: And whosoever of you will be chiefest, shall be the servant of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be ministered, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for the many". (Mark 10:43-45)

Serve one another, but be humble enough to permit each other service to one another.

Mark 10:46-52 tells the story of a blind man who is given sight through faith in Christ. I wear corrective lenses, and this allows me to empathize with the man from this story. There is discrimination against those who's sight is lesser in this world. This is earthly. Christ opens eyes to illuminate the heavenly path. Christ's vision is greater.

Mark 10:13-16 covers God's grace to children. Some Christians traditions purport that some arbitrarily decided upon age or cognition is required to receive the Holy Spirit. He does not discriminate against children, or those with less brain power. Ask him through prayer. Also, pay attention to these verses and their relation to the baptism of babies.

Mark 10:17-31 is host to the ever quoted camel needle line in regards to the rich and the gates of heaven. The lord does not hate rich people. Wealth is not to be despised. Jesus is concerned with the attachment to wealth that many people have. He wants our priorities to be straight. Verse 31 says "But many that are first shall be last; and the last first".

"Saying, Behold***, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of Man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the gentiles. And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again". (Mark 10: 33-34)

This may seem straightforward to those who grow up Christian. Step back, and put yourself in the shoes of someone who grew up a nonbeliever. Now switch the centuries up. Switch the continents. I constantly call our lord the counterintuitive Christ. Greek or worldly wisdom would have you believe an eternal being cannot be scathed or approached. Our God is personal. Very personal. Imagine how embarrassing it is for an eternal, immutable, omnipotent, omnibenevolent, and omniscient being to subject himself to harassment by finite, mutating, impotent, fallible, and epistemically limited beings. He permitted those weaker than him to distribute forty lashes to his back, place on his head a crown of thorns to mock his throne, and launch their mucus on his holy body. He allowed them to murder him in the most gruesome method they had available. Differing from the dead, he rose on the third day. The anointed one**** of Nazareth is personal, and more humble. The anointed one is greater.

Post Scriptum:

"I get tempted by the rewards that all come along with making nigga songs...But ya'll would rather hear me rapping about trash, the size of Erykah's ass, blunts and cash, we need saving, minds are consumed with swine, we need bathing"
Jay Electronica's lyrics about the state of hip-hop and us utilizing Christian imagery, from his seminal song "The Pledge (Eternal Sunshine)"

* the Amharic term for lion
** God is greater. An Amharic version of this quick prayer that I use is "amlak talaq newih"! Try it out.
*** ihneho in Amharic, I absolutely love this word in both languages
**** Christ = Kristos= the anointed one

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