True Humility

1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them 3 and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

5 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, 6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

-Matthew 18:1-6

Jesus cares about the relationships of his followers and how they treat one another. While human societies treat the issue of rank seriously, God’s society is to be distinctly different. Taking a child, a person of no importance in Jewish society, Jesus illustrated a radical reorientation from “who’s on top.” It is not that Christians become childlike; it is that we have the status of a child. True importance in the kingdom is in being little, insignificant, and unimpressive. To become humble is to accept an inferior position as Jesus did, something the world (and seemingly many Christians) cannot understand.

Jesus warns that any disciple who causes a fellow disciple to stumble by his attitude, action, or failure to act, brings judgment upon himself. It would be better to suffer a quick drowning than the judgment that is coming.

Do you see yourself as humble, accepting an inferior position as Jesus did? Now ask someone how they see you.

Prayer

O Father, give us the humility which

Realizes its ignorance,

Admits its mistakes,

Recognizes its need,

Welcomes advice,

Accepts rebuke.

Help us always

To praise rather than to criticize,

To sympathize rather than to condemn.

To encourage rather than to discourage,

To build rather than to destroy,

And to think of people at their best rather than at their worst.

This we ask for thy name’s sake.

- William Barclay