Lenten Reader | Day 22

March 14th, 2026

They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it.

They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.

Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”

He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”

“Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”

“Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us. Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.

“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where

“‘the worms that eat them do not die,
and the fire is not quenched.’

Everyone will be salted with fire.

“Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other.”

Mark 9:30-50

First & Last

In Talladega Nights, Ricky Bobby lives by a simple mantra: “If you ain’t first, you’re last.” Going fast and being famous is all that matters.
That mindset isn’t far from the disciples on the road to Capernaum. After Jesus tells them He will be betrayed, killed, and rise again, they don’t ask questions or seek understanding. Instead, they argue about who is the greatest. If you ain’t first, you’re last.

We’d never do that…right? Yet we live in a world that constantly tells us to be first, to look successful, or at least appear that way. Social media makes this obvious. We rarely post our failures—only our greatest hits. While there’s nothing wrong with celebrating success, the constant need to be first creates a dangerous cycle of comparison.

Comparison becomes a daily habit. We look at others and wonder how they live the way they do, how they afford what they have, or why they seem so successful. Vulnerability feels risky because it doesn’t fit the image we think we’re supposed to present. Over time, this mindset leaves many of us feeling inadequate.

What if we spent less time trying to create an image online and more time serving others? Jesus turns our thinking upside down when He says, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” Greatness, in the Kingdom of God, is not about being noticed, but about humility and service.

Jesus then takes a child into His arms and says, “Whoever welcomes one of these children in my name welcomes me.” Soon after, He offers a serious warning about causing these little ones to stumble. In many ways, our culture—and our social media habits—damage children’s sense of worth. They are constantly watching, constantly comparing, and often feeling like they don’t measure up, feeding anxiety and depression.

Let us not strive to be first, but learn again how to listen, serve, and walk humbly with Christ.

BJ King