Chronological Reading Plan for Oct 30, Mt 19, Mk 10

Today's readings are Mt 19, Mk 10. Tomorrow's are Mt 20, 21. 

Two significant but often overlooked life-lessons emerge from today's readings. There is certainly a richness of others but these two might be easy to miss amid the other, more powerful ones. 

First, there is the strange lesson about the eunuchs, which comes within the context of marriage, re-marriage and divorce. Notice that there are three types of eunuchs, those who were born that way, those who were made eunuchs by man and those who consciously decided to become eunuchs. The ones that have consciously decided to become eunuchs do so for the "sake of the kingdom." This is not advocating that anyone mutilate themselves. It speaks about celibacy for the sake of the kingdom, rather than falling into sin. The text does not tell us that these people are any better nor more spiritual than anyone else. Their celibacy does not seem to qualify them for any particular position nor is it required of them. They make the decision to live celibate solely to honor God. Note, once they make that decision, they are not transformed into something else. They remain eunuchs.  They decide that honoring God is preferable to pleasing themselves. Their decision is honored in these verses.

The second one is about the children. They would be easy to dismiss as unimportant or as not having anything of value to contribute. Jesus offers a reminder that they are part of the kingdom as well. Indeed, these children and those like them possess the kingdom of heaven. This should be an encouragement to all those people who minister to our little ones. They are inheritors of the kingdom and are just as precious in the Lord's sight as anyone else.

The deeper lesson, however, is that everyone was once a child. All of us were young and weak, physically and spiritually. Children, if raised properly, will grow in strength and knowledge. Knowing this, the child becomes a valued member of the church but also a metaphor for a new believer. Like a child a new believer needs to be cared for, nurtured, protected and instructed. Children and new believers will grow and become strong if they receive the blessing of a loving, compassionate, mature caretaker. As more mature believers, rather than looking down on any of these, we should see them as opportunities to see God work in and through them just as He did and is doing through us.