The Revised Common Lectionary passages for the Lord’s Day are:

First Reading: Job 38:1-7 (34-41)
Psalm 104:1-9, 24, 35c
Second Reading: Hebrews 5:1-10
Gospel: Mark 10:35-45

The liturgical color for the day is: Green

Last week during a panel discussion with young people I was asked what one piece of advice I would give to someone moving into adulthood?  I said that they should make bad decisions.  Not purposeful bad decisions but to trust the foundations that have been laid in their life to be enough to live a life that is faithful and good. Fear of making the wrong decision so often represses the boldness by which we live by.

Mark’s text this week shows just how no one is exempt from being human.  The sons of Zebedee make a bad decision when they try to jockey for position.  The other disciples continue along that way when they get mad at them.  So often we romanticize those who have gone before us.  Our country’s founders, grandparents, other historical figures, even the disciples are sanitized from their mistakes in order to make their witness more powerful.  In reality this has the opposite effect.  When we idolize and idealize, we set ourselves up for unreasonable expectations.

The disciples are very human, and we should embrace that reality.  Jesus uses the ordinary and broken to do extraordinary things.   Jesus uses this very human moment to teach them about the real nature of power and servanthood.

It’s tempting when we are in a position of power or influence, like church leadership, to want to have a veneer of perfection to show the world.  We are often revered by those we lead and when that veneer gets removed, we lose all credibility.  Being honest and genuine is the best way to show the world who God is. Taking risks and perhaps an occasional bad decisions my just be the most faithful course of action.  As the MythBusters used to say, “Failure is always an option.”

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Rev. Geoff McLean
Associate General Presbyter