It’s Time For Some Childlike Behavior
There is a commercial running on tv that shows two little boys running toward each other. One is black and one is white. They run toward one another with their arms outstretched , their little legs pumping as fast as they can and their faces filled with exuberant joy. The footage was recorded by one of the children’s parents and the two boys shriek with excitement to see each other for the first time in months after Covid restrictions were lifted. Jesus pointed to a little child and told His disciples that they have to be like that if they even want to get into the kingdom of heaven. And anyone who tried to get in the way of God’s children coming to Jesus were committing a grace sin. I pray this week that you would become childlike in your humility, and eschew the pursuit of status in lieu of your salvation. Amen
At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. (Matt. 18:1-5). When asked who was the greatest in the kingdom, Jesus told His disciples that they needed to have the heart of a child, open and guileless…trusting completely in our Father before they could enter the kingdom of humility and serve will be the greatest in heaven. Jesus held up a little child as the example for the humility God desires of us. In the kingdom, those who wish to be great must be the servants of others
“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come! (Matt. 18:6-7). Jesus let his disciples know that anyone who caused one of His to stumble and fall away from their faith in Jesus, committed a sin so grievous, that drowning themselves in deep waters with a heavy millstone around their neck was preferable to the heavenly c onsequences they would face for such an action. Jesus pronounced woe to anyone in this world who would cause a person to fall away from him and miss their salvation. We must not cause anyone to lose their faith in Jesus and miss their salvation.
If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell. (Matt. 18:8-9)
Whatever impedes us from coming to Jesus, we need to remove and cast aside. Even if what impedes us is something we value and hold dear (e.g. foot, hand, eye). Unless we remove the things that keep us from Jesus, we will allow them to impede us and keep us from our own salvation. If it stops me from following Jesus, it’s got to go!
Over and over, the Bible tells us that the proud and self righteous will not be able to receive the kingdom of heaven. Jesus pointed to a little child and told His disciples that a childlike humility is necessary for those wishing to enter the kingdom. The disciples were concerned about their status and asked Jesus about greatness. But Jesus taught them that humility and unconcern for social status were of far more importance in God’s kingdom. It is our inner attitude and humble heart that God values. So It’s about time for us to dump our worldly facades and instead… adopt some childlike behavior that is pleasing to God.
Blessings,
Rev. Glenn
