Beginning in Mark 9:33, Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, their hometown. When the disciples were in the house, Jesus asked, “What were you arguing about on the road?” Remember, the disciples were quite young—likely between 15 and 25 years old—full of energy and ambition. Instead of answering, they kept quiet because they had been arguing about who among them was the greatest. Jesus sat down and called the twelve together. Notably, he didn’t scold them for their ambition or assert his own greatness. He didn’t say, “Don’t try to be first,” or, “How dare you argue about who should be the greatest?” Nor did he boast, “I’m Jesus, I’m the greatest—haven’t you heard of me?”

Instead, Jesus offered a surprising key to greatness. He said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” To make his point clear, Jesus took a little child and placed the child among them. Today, we honor children, but in the first century, they were seen as property and held little status. Yet Jesus, taking the child in his arms, told them, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me.”

My friend, who among us wants to welcome Jesus into their life, to receive the abundance, healing, and blessings that God offers? Jesus’ teaching is clear and not just a metaphor: When you welcome children, you invite the blessing of God into your life. As Jesus said, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not just welcome me, but the one who sent me.”