Big Heads Small Spirits

 At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,

And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. (Matt. 18: 1-4)

The disciples thought they had Jesus and the kingdom all figured out, that is until Jesus threw them a curve ball. If you want to be big and important in the kingdom, you must take the smallest and weakest position. You see Jesus knew that He would defeat evil by becoming as weak and as vulnerable as a child.

As He lay His life down on the cross and submitted to His Father's will, He became the ultimate obedient child. He relinquished His divine rights and settled his human debts when He gave the responsibility of the care of his mother Mary to the beloved disciple John. Hebrews says that Jesus learned obedience by what he suffered: |Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered (Hebrews 5:8).

We are told that no discipline seems pleasant at the time, but it yields a harvest of righteousness for those who are trained by it (Hebrews 12:11). Suffering, hardship, and pain created a lasting legacy of grace for Jesus.  So, we must fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God "Hebrews 12:2)

When one is a child, one is subject to those who are more powerful. In Jesus' case, He made Himself of no respect and submitted to death on the cross, despising its shame. He willing submitted himself to those who were in essence weaker.

Children know how to submit to the shameful processes, but not how to keep the shame from being in embedded in their self-concepts. When they are abused, they absorb the negative messages that scream of their lack of worth and value.

Jesus benefited from perfect parenting unlike all of us. Therefore, when the Pharisees bullied him, when his brothers mocked him and called him names, He knew who he really was. If I am to walk like Jesus, I must to be parented by God and know who I am in Him, so that no matter the abuse, I am not shamed by the actions of others or defined by them.

The disciples expected Jesus to establish His kingdom through force, to expel the Roman interlopers, to chase out the two-faced hypocrites, but instead Jesus became a child, meek and humble, but by doing so He destroyed the works of the devil. His innocence provided the key of victory over Satan.
Meek, humble, submissive, and obedient not exactly what the disciples believed the kingdom would be made of-  childlike qualities.


Still learning,
MJ