The story is told of a village where Western ideas of competition were unknown. A western researcher offered the prize of a box of lollies to a group of children – ‘whoever runs to that post over there first, can have this’, they said. They got the children to line up; Ready steady, go , and the race began – but to their astonishment the children simply joined hands and ran together, so that all crossed the line together and then proceeded to share the sweets.
In our culture we have been taught to compete from an early age. Somewhere along the line we have imbibed the idea that some of us are better than others, at any rate at some things. We have also taken on board a notion of entitlement – if I work just a bit harder, or play the game according to the rules, at some point I can expect to be rewarded – perhaps with a pension or a nice house.
It is very clear from today’s passage that Jesus wants us to think and behave differently. James and John come full of demand and entitlement. “We want you to do for us whatever we ask’, they say. Quite extraordinary hubris really – James and John set no limit to their demand. Most of us, if a friend says, ’can you do me a favour/’ are wise enough to say, ‘well it might depend on what it is!’ But Jesus also sets no limit. Perhaps he remembers that he has said, ’Ask and it shall be given to you.’ He responds with the question that he often puts to those, like blind Bartimaeus, who cry out to him for help, “What do you want me to do for you.” He puts himself totally at their disposal...
In our culture we have been taught to compete from an early age. Somewhere along the line we have imbibed the idea that some of us are better than others, at any rate at some things. We have also taken on board a notion of entitlement – if I work just a bit harder, or play the game according to the rules, at some point I can expect to be rewarded – perhaps with a pension or a nice house.
It is very clear from today’s passage that Jesus wants us to think and behave differently. James and John come full of demand and entitlement. “We want you to do for us whatever we ask’, they say. Quite extraordinary hubris really – James and John set no limit to their demand. Most of us, if a friend says, ’can you do me a favour/’ are wise enough to say, ‘well it might depend on what it is!’ But Jesus also sets no limit. Perhaps he remembers that he has said, ’Ask and it shall be given to you.’ He responds with the question that he often puts to those, like blind Bartimaeus, who cry out to him for help, “What do you want me to do for you.” He puts himself totally at their disposal...
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