Through Galilee in guarded silence,

He spoke of hands, a death, a rise.

They held the warning in their questions,

then weighed their greatness with their eyes.

At Capernaum, behind the doorway,

He asked what filled the road behind.

No one answered. Every ranking

went suddenly quiet in the mind.

Who is first?

(The one made last.)

Who is great?

(The one who serves.)

Who stands high?

(The one who stoops.)

The kingdom overturns the words.

Last of all,

servant of all.

Greatness bends when mercy calls.

Take the low place,

welcome the small.

Last of all,

servant of all.

He placed a child within the circle,

took the child into His arms:

“Whosoever shall receive one

in My name receives the One

who sent Me.”

John drew a border:

“We forbade one not with us.”

Jesus answered, “Do not stop him;

he that is not against us is for us.”

A cup of water is remembered.

A little one is not unseen.

No narrow circle owns the Name;

no rank can make the humble less.

Last of all,

servant of all.

Greatness bends when mercy calls.

Guard the little,

welcome the small.

Last of all,

servant of all.

Do not make the little ones stumble.

Do not nurse the sin that pulls you down.

If hand, or foot, or eye offends thee,

cut it off and cast it out.

Better loss than life corrupted,

better truth than hidden fire.

The warning falls with iron weight

because the ruin reaches higher.

Every one shall be salted with fire.

Salt is good; do not lose its savor.

Have salt in yourselves,

and peace with one another.

Who is first?

(The one made last.)

Who is great?

(The one who serves.)

Last of all,

servant of all.

Peace remains when pride must fall.