When Jesus took a child into his midst in Matthew 18, we often pass quickly over the words that he spoke, to humble ourselves as this little child. In our language, perhaps we miss the point that this means to take the lowly social position of a little child. I don't know about you, but I like having a good seat, or being recognized as a valuable adult, or being a part of the "in crowd." I don't like taking the place of no importance, or being treated like I'm a nobody, or being that person in the background who appears to be of no consequence. But, that's exactly who Jesus says is the greatest in the kingdom. Our "grown up" sense of self-importance puts us "out of sympathy with God's value scale." (The Gospel of Matthew New International Commentary on the New Testament, NICNT, by: R.T. France, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. / 2007)
I don't know about you, but that really speaks to me.
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