Great kids aren't

Every school has at least one kid who acts like he's better than you. Maybe he's rich or good at sports; maybe he teases you every day. Whatever he does, he drives you nuts!

Jesus would understand how you feel. He got frustrated when people acted like they were better than others. This week's Gospel (Mark 9:30-37) is one of those times: The Apostles act "great," and Jesus has to stop them.

Jesus heard the Apostles arguing. "What are you fighting about?" He asked. They were ashamed, because they'd been arguing over which one of them was the greatest. Jesus told them, "If any of you wants to be first, he has to be a servant to all."

The Apostles did that sometimes. They all thought they were the greatest, and none of them would stop saying it, so they argued a lot about who was really right!

When a kid in school acts like he's the greatest, it's probably because he thinks he isn't. That might sound weird, but it's true: Kids act better than other people if they're worried they're not as good!

With the Apostles, Jesus could have gotten angry and said, "We're not friends any more." But He didn't. Instead, He gave them some advice: "If you really want to be great, help other people like a servant."

That's good advice for kids, too: If you want to be great, don't get mad and walk away from a kid who acts like HE'S great. Ask him to play with you instead! You might find out what the Apostles did: that nobody's better than everyone else, but there's something Jesus loves in all of us.

PRAYER FOR THE WEEK: Jesus, help me make friends with someone who acts great -- because I might make a great friend! Amen.