Day 43: March 10

March 10th, 2024
by Christine Eliason

SCRIPTURE Matthew 18:1-5
1 About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”
2 Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. 3 Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. 4 So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.
5 “And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me.

OBSERVATION
We just read at the end of chapter 16 how Jesus predicts his suffering and death. And the disciples turn around and want to know who is the greatest in the Kingdom of God.

They were preoccupied with hunger for power, ungodly ambition and wanting to have a high position, perhaps next to Jesus, in God’s Kingdom.

But Jesus turns things upside down by calling a small child to them and telling them that they cannot even be part of the kingdom without becoming like this child- humble, innocent and dependent.

APPLICATION
Paul challenges us to take on the humility of Christ in Philippians 2:3-11.

3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

6 Though he was God,

he did not think of equality with God

as something to cling to.

7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;

he took the humble position of a slave

and was born as a human being.

When he appeared in human form,

8 he humbled himself in obedience to God

and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor

and gave him the name above all other names,

10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

PRAYER
Father, Thank you for your Holy Spirit who draws us into your presence. That you, the creator of heaven and earth, are mindful of me and would call me, a sinner, into your presence to have fellowship with you. That you have adopted me and call me child. Forgive me for my pride, to think I have it all together. Thank you for this reminder to put on the attitude of Christ- humility. I pray that my faith will ever be child-like. I want to live for your Glory, in your strength, fully relying on you.

Posted in Book of Matthew
Posted in Humility, Attitudes

1 Comment

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Tony Q. - March 12th, 2024 at 8:23am

Matthew 18: 12-14 I'm not sure if one of our hundred sheep wandered away, we would leave the rest to go searching for it. We might consider it a reasonable loss, nothing big to have an impact on the bottom line, already factored into the budget. But Jesus made it clear in this passage how precious "these little ones" are to him. He's making a point about the person who seems worthless, the one we tend to overlook or don't care much about. In God's budget, there are no calculations for loss concerning His "little ones." No one is considered collateral damage. The One who watches over lost lambs and tiny sparrows is watching out for us. We are precious in the eyes of Jesus who shed his blood to redeem us.