Do you ever wish you counted for something, that you had value? All the talk about purpose in church circles these days tries to respond to the natural human desire to count for something, to be somebody. But I worry about that way of thinking. If your value is all about your purpose in life, what if you fail? Are you then without any value?

Today's gospel lesson is Jesus' final words of instruction to his disciples, as he commissioned them to undertake their mission and continued instructing them about their purpose. He starts out his final words of advice in verse 40 at the beginning of our gospel for today by noting that whoever welcomes his team of leaders welcomes him, and so also welcomes God the Father. Keep that observation in mind when you think about your purpose, about God's pu…