The disciples asked Jesus in Matthew 18 "Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, and said, 'Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."
I remember as a child and I am sure that most every child has made this statement: "My daddy can beat up your daddy." The biggest and the best and it starts early in life.
We spend all of our lives trying to be the "biggest and the best" looking for the most fun toys, trying to have the greatest adventures on vacations, reaching...reaching...reaching for the absolute best that life has to offer. And some do this because it is not "good enough" for them to just simply "keep up with the Jones" family. We need and want the greatest. When someone in the neighborhood goes out and get a new car, you can almost bet that someone else in that same neighborhood will come home in a few days with a newer, bigger car.
The disciples had a few arguments about who it was that Jesus loved the most or was His best disciple. But Jesus put them all to shame when He sat a little child on His lap and said if you want to be the greatest, humble yourself as this little child.
My brother-in-law and I have always been competitive as we raised our families. He would do something and I would "one up" him. Then he would "one up" me (all in good natured fun, of course) but we are all like that. It is our competitive edge showing. Finally I got cancer, and said "Top that, Med!" Just kidding! While we are all trying to be the "greatest" Jesus is teaching us how to love. Isn't that just like Jesus? In the four months since I started writing daily devotions, I have learned more about love, especially the love of Christ, than in any other time in my life. I want to be that little child. I want to sit with Jesus, humbled as one of His precious children.
Dave
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