Chapter 18

‘She did indeed!’ growled Peter. ‘She wanted them to have the most prominent seats in the Master’s Kingdom…Yes—and the foolish creature got that off before the whole roomful of us. Didn’t she, Andy? And the youngsters sat there, red-faced, making no attempt to stop her!’

‘Maybe they didn’t want to stop her,’ reflected Hannah. She glanced at Andrew, soliciting an opinion.

‘I think they were embarrassed,’ he said.

‘But they made no protest,’ Peter went on. ‘They just sat there, looking down their noses and counting their fingers while Naomi babbled. It was the first time the subject had ever come up, who was the most important man among us.’

‘And what did Jesus say to her?’ asked Hannah.

‘He said nothing directly to Naomi,’ answered Andrew, ‘but he did say something to the rest of us.’

‘It must have made Naomi feel very small—and insignificant,’ said Peter. ‘Jesus paid no more attention to her than if she hadn’t been there. He looked around the room, and seemed to gather us all into a confidential little group; and then he said, “Whoever among you would be great, let him be your servant. And whoever would be the greatest of all, let him be the servant of all.”‘

‘And then what?’ inquired Hannah.

‘Well—Naomi left, and nobody could think of anything to say,’ replied Peter. ‘John and James looked ashamed, as they should have done. They were foolish to think that anything they had accomplished should give them prominence.’

‘It was an awkward moment,’ contributed Andrew. ‘Even my brother’—he gave Esther a slow wink—’was speechless.’

‘Somebody should have changed the subject,’ thought Hannah.

‘That’s what happened,’ said Peter. ‘The Master did it himself. He turned toward the Zebedee boys, with a smile, and remarked that it had been a long time since we had had any fresh fish. And they were quick enough to take the hint, for they certainly wanted to get out of there. They got up and left in a hurry. It was the best thing that could have happened to them—in the circumstances.’ Peter seemed about to go on with the story; but, apparently thinking he had said enough, he tossed his napkin aside and pushed back his chair.

‘There’s a little more to it,’ drawled Andrew. ‘As James and Johnny went out of the door, Jesus asked Simon if he didn’t want to go too.’

Peter gnawed at his bearded underlip, and nodded.