Good to Great

 Read Matthew 18.

Human nature always wants more.  Our desire is to go to the next level, know more, be able to do more, have more, achieve more.  The thirsty ego within is truly never satisfied on its own.

The disciples had traveled with Jesus for a while.  James, John, and Peter became the inner circle of the twelve.  Obviously, they discussed among themselves about a pecking order of some kind.  Jesus said in chapter 11 that "there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist."  So, it seems that they may have been jockeying to be a living replacement for that position.  Finally, they bolstered their nerve to ask Jesus, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"  It was the wrong question!

If only they had remembered the second sentence in Matthew 11:12, "Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he." These were good men but ill-focused. To teach them how to define greatness in God's sight, Jesus called a child to be right in the middle of these men. 

Jesus made several observations in verses 4 and 5 about children that every follower of Christ must know and be.
1. Humility.
When Jesus called, this child simply came.  The child had no agenda or questions.  He just obeyed Jesus.  Choosing humility is a part of self-discipline.  Pride keeps people from admitting their need for forgiveness, for a Savior, for community.  If one does not humble themselves before God, then sin will lead to the alternative of eventual humiliation.   Later Jesus said, "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." (Matthew 23:12)  In other words, the way up is down.

2. Service to others.
Instead of self-serving, Jesus taught His followers to be focused on the needs of others.  Receiving a child is an illustration of one who is dependent and cannot help themselves.  He picked up this same theme again referring to children in verses 10-14.  A good shepherd pursues the one that is in need.  To be a follower of Jesus is to be people-focused.

3. For Christ.
Why we serve is more important than what we do.  Is it for our glory, to be the greatest, or for His glory?  Jesus did not merely say to focus on people and serve their needs but to do so "in my name."  His reputation and His authority are to be paramount in our service to others.  Little ones can place their personal faith in Jesus (v.6).  It is not God's will that "one of these little ones should perish" (v.14).  Everyone who comes to Jesus for eternal life must do so with such child-like faith. 

The question the disciples should have asked is, "How can we reach the least and the lost so they too will know Jesus and follow Him?"