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PRAYER FOR THE WEEK
Jesus, teach me to think about what I'm getting myself into when I sign up for lots of things! Amen.

James and John told Jesus, "We want to sit next to you in heaven." Jesus said, "You'd have to suffer like me." "That's okay," they said. Jesus told them, "Well, you will suffer like me, but I can't give you the best seats in heaven. Only my Father can decide that. Besides, if you want to be the best, serve others like I do."

It's only October, but already, you're wondering what you were thinking when you tried out for the school play and the cross-country team, started a "Save the Earth" club and volunteered with the church youth group. What have you gotten yourself into?

This week's Gospel (Mark 10:35-45) is about the 12 Apostles -- people who sound totally confident at the beginning of a tough journey, before they realize how much work it's going to be.

Like you, the Apostles signed up for a lot. As Jesus' closest followers, they were supposed to continue His work, teaching people about God and healing them.

As if that wasn't enough, the Apostles lived in a time when Jesus was not accepted as the Son of God, so anyone who followed Him was in danger. (That's happening to Christians in countries like Syria today, too.)

But the Gospel story takes place before all that happens. The Apostles are like you at the beginning of the school year, when you were so excited that you may have committed to a few too many activities!

When Jesus warns the Apostles that it's going to be hard road, they ignore Him. They want to go to heaven, so they say they'll commit to all the work. They don't know what they're getting themselves into, either.

It's hard to know, until you're in the middle of activities, that you may have signed up for too much. On the other hand, sticking with activities can be a good way to learn about commitment, balancing time and what really matters to you.

For the Apostles, what mattered was service. Jesus said that, if they wanted to go to heaven, they needed to do what He did: serve others by teaching and healing, no matter how hard it got.

For you, it's possible to wonder what you've gotten yourself into, and maybe cut back. For the Apostles, there was no such thing as "too much!"[[In-content Ad]]

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