Mark 10:13

“Jesus said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me, do not to stop them; for it is to such as these that the Kingdom of God belongs.’ “

Jesus’ first sermon in Mark was to say that the Kingdom of God had come near.  And now, just a few chapters later, he says God’s kingdom belongs to the children.  In the time of Jesus, children were the least respected members of society.  How is it that Jesus says the least of these should be the most respected persons in the Kingdom?  In God’s Kingdom much is reversed.  The first will be last.  The poor in spirit will be blessed.  The meek will inherit the earth.  Over and over the Kingdom’s reversals take our breath away.  Bringing up there down here invites us to consider who are the least respected among us today?  Who is the last one to be considered?   Who is continually left behind and why is that the case?  If we are going to bring up there down here, these are questions we, together, must consider.