Children’s Feet

Dan Harper September 29, 2021 0 0

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Mark 9: 35-37 (NRSVA)

35 He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, ‘Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.’ 36 Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, 37 ‘Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.’

When a child is brought home from the hospital the requirement is that they are wrapped up in a way that keeps them warm. This is very sensible. As part of this the baby who is almost still wet behind the ears is required to wear socks.

Newborn baby socks are a remarkable thing. They possess this strange quality that means whenever I encounter them I make a strange noise and go weak at the knees.

Newborn baby socks are so small because the person wearing them is very small too. And as children age, their socks get bigger but remain small and gradually have less of an effect on me. But these tiny socks remind me of the vulnerability of the little people wearing them, or who have taken them off and thrown them down the stairs.

In our reading Jesus talks to the disciples about making sure the children, the most vulnerable and voiceless at the time, were listened to and included in the earthly Kingdom of Heaven. We are to make sure, like the disciples, that we heed Christ’s words and include in our care, compassion and love all the vulnerable and voiceless, especially those who wear tiny socks.   

PRAYER:

God,

As we wiggle our toes and feel the ground under our feet,

Remind us of the vulnerable and voiceless,

As we pull on our socks of compassion and shoes of hope,

Ready to spread your love in the world.

Amen.