#reflection #reading #transformation #status quo
Recommended read: Parker Palmer, Let your life speak: listening for the voice of vocation

In Luke 6:17-26, we encounter a powerful image: “He went down with them and stood on a level place.” This simple yet profound moment captures the essence of Jesus’ ministry and the invitation he offers to all who would follow him. Jesus, coming down from a quiet mountaintop, meets the crowds on level ground, where he heals, speaks, and calls his disciples to a deeper way of life.

The crowd that gathered around Jesus was diverse. Some were devoted followers, eagerly seeking a glimpse of the healer, the prophet, the miracle worker. Others were skeptical, watching from the sidelines with crossed arms, curious but cautious. There were those in the back, jostling for a better view, trying to get close enough to touch him. And then there were those in the “cheap seats,” those who could barely afford to be there, but who desperately reached out for something more—a touch, a word, a sign of hope.

What’s striking about this scene is that Jesus doesn’t keep himself separate from them. He doesn’t stand above or beyond them, delivering a polished sermon from a distance. Instead, he comes down to their level, meets them where they are, and touches their lives. His presence is personal, his power flows freely to all who need it. This is grace—unearned, unmeasured, abundant.

Yet, as much as the healing and miracles draw the crowd, Jesus’ ultimate goal is not to gather a following for the sake of numbers or spectacle. He doesn’t want to be admired from a distance or worshiped from afar. Crowds are easy. You can stand in a crowd without being known, without being changed. You can stay as long as it suits you, and walk away when things get too uncomfortable, when the mood shifts, or when the challenge becomes too great.

But following Jesus is not about staying in the crowd. It’s about stepping into something deeper—into a life-changing relationship that goes beyond the surface, beyond the convenience of simply “reaching out and touching him” in times of trouble. It’s about entering into a discipleship that challenges the very way we view the world.

When Jesus begins to speak, his words are not just for the crowd at large, but for those who have already chosen to follow him—his disciples. His teaching is not a comforting assurance that the poor will always be poor, and the rich will always be rich. It’s a radical call to a new way of living—one that turns worldly values upside down. It’s a call to embrace not just the blessings of the kingdom, but the cost of discipleship. The poor, the hungry, the persecuted—they are blessed, yes, but they are also called to live in a way that challenges the status quo.

This message is both timeless and timely. In a world that often prioritizes power, wealth, and success, it’s easy to get swept up in systems that value what can be measured, counted, and controlled. But Jesus invites us to step off the sidelines, away from the crowds, and onto the level ground of discipleship. Here, the rules of the world are subverted, and the power of God’s love transforms not just our hearts, but our lives and our relationships with one another.

Parker Palmer, in his reflections on leadership and societal structures, observes how systems often become rigid and competitive, prioritizing victory over human wellbeing. He writes, “If our institutions are rigid, it is because our hearts fear change; if they set us in mindless competition with each other, it is because we value victory over all else.” This same rigidity can creep into our faith lives—when we become more focused on maintaining the status quo or following comfortable traditions than on truly following Jesus.

But Jesus offers a different way—a way of transformation, of co-creating a new reality with him. He calls us to participate in the ongoing work of redemption and renewal, shaping our lives and the world around us in accordance with God’s kingdom values.

The question for us today is whether we will remain in the crowd, enjoying the spectacle of Jesus’ grace without being truly transformed by it, or whether we will choose to follow him into deeper discipleship. As we stand within the opening to a new and unfolding year, we are invited to reflect on what it means to walk with Jesus on level ground—not from a distance, but up close, where transformation happens.

Following Jesus is not about admiring from afar, it’s about participating in the work of his kingdom. It’s about stepping beyond the comfort of the crowd, moving into the messiness of real life, and embracing the challenges and joys of true discipleship. Jesus doesn’t call us to stay on the sidelines. He calls us to join him in the world, to be transformed by his love, and to help bring about his kingdom on earth.

As we reflect on this invitation, we must ask ourselves: Will we remain in the crowd, content with the spectacle, or will we follow Jesus beyond the surface, into the deep, transformative work of discipleship? The choice is ours.