I was a bit of Mr. Mom this weekend. I had the kids all day Saturday as my wife was out scrapbooking and then with friends. We went to a movie (Hotel for Dogs). I even made supper tonight. I got a rib recipe from my mom. It's so easy, I think I'll have to try it more often.
Mark 12
verses 38 to 44 - 38As he taught, Jesus said, "Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted in the marketplaces, 39and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 40They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely." 41Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins,[j]worth only a fraction of a penny.[k]
43Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on."
There are two contrasting images given in this section. The first is where Jesus talks about the teachers of the law, and how they like their celebrity status. I used to work for a church. I liked it. One of the things I liked was being known by people. I don't think you'd call it "celebrity" per se, execpt that people usually knew who I was before I knew them, or even if I didn't know them at all. There's also a feeling of entitlement that comes along with being a "celebrity". You start to feel like you deserve this or that, and are somehow better than others because of your "status". I think at points I noticed this in myself, and I tried to steer away from it. But it's there in all of us. Perhaps that feeds our celebrity seeking culture. Watching those Etalk and Access Hollywood shows. Keeping up with the goings on of Brangelina or Octo-mom. I don't think there's anything wrong with being known, but what I think Jesus is commenting on is that these teachers of the law used that celebrity for the wrong reasons. And you see it today, with the televangelists, etc. And again, these people give a bad impression of us all.
At the other end of the spectrum, is the widow who puts her last few coins in the coffer. She didn't have much, but she did what she could. She is anything but celebrity. She is the "Hoi Polloi", the lowly masses. Yet Jesus says that what she has to offer is worth more than anyone else. Hunh? Think of all the great things the celebrities do. The pastors, the evangelists, the ones who lead us. Yet, God is not impressed (although, I'm not sure He's ever "impressed", really). What means the most to Him are the simple things we do. The simple, small, yet costly, acts that we perform. They aren't flashy, and in some cases not as easy, but they are important. More so than we realize.
If you haven't noticed the subtitle of my blog, it's "the musings of a faceless monk". It actually comes from a little cartoon character of myself that I've been drawing for years. You can see him here. What I mean by "faceless monk" is that the history of the church (and beyond to God's dealings with us since time began) is borne on the backs of ordinary people. Sure, it's the superstars that we read about in the bible, but it's the nameless, faceless, ordinary people like me that make up the bulk of God's people. To be a faceless monk, is simply to try to live faithfully to God in the ordinary of ordinary life. Don't get me wrong, I think there's a place for celebrity, and there are those that should get extra attention. My encouragement is that if you aren't one of those people, then there's nothing wrong with that, and you should be proud to be counted among the ranks of the faceless monks.
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