Whoever Welcomes Me

Psalm 20, 21:1-7(8-14) • Psalm 110:1-5(6-7), 116, 117
Ecclus. 3:17-31 • Acts 28:17-31 • Luke 9:37-50

It is no secret that we are a nation divided. Especially less than 3 weeks from a major election, I myself am guilty of further division. Sometimes, it admittedly is hard for me to accept the “other.” I constantly wonder how some can possibly hold the views that they do. If I’m being extremely honest, I often find myself disgusted by their views, and even the people that hold them. I think, “Well MY views come from a place of love, and THEIR views come from a place of hate.” It makes me feel better about being less than compassionate towards them.

In Luke’s reading for today, Jesus says, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.” I read that and begin to reconsider the division I cause. No, I would never excuse hate, and I do think some views are absolutely horrific. 

However, we must also consider the privileges we’ve been given that allow us to have the views we have. I can only speak to my own experience, but I know that I am extremely lucky to have a loving family, a good education, a loving church community, etc. Many people grow up starved of all of those things and starved of many things that I cannot begin to imagine. I imagine they grow up angry and resentful at people like me, who have not, and probably will not, ever suffer in those ways.

This reading forces me to, at the very least, put myself in their shoes for just one small second. We will all be the “little child” Jesus speaks of at some points in our lives. We can all only hope that someone will welcome us in the way Jesus intended.

Written by Tel Johnson

Tel grew up attending St. Paul’s. She currently lives in Little Rock with her cat, Hershel, and works at Arkansas Children’s Hospital.