But
Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom
of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” Matthew 19:14 NLT
The kingdom of the world and the kingdom of God
both celebrate greatness. The difference is found in how greatness is defined.
While the steps on the world’s ladder of greatness go up—as in “climb the
ladder of success”—the steps on the kingdom’s ladder of greatness go down. They
don’t go down as in “darkness, bondage, fear, or defeat”—they go down as in
“humble yourself under the mighty hand of God.”
When the disciples asked Jesus about who was
greatest in the kingdom, Jesus didn’t direct them to the biggest one in the
crowd but to the smallest, not to the most successful one but to the neediest,
not to the one who had all the answers but to the one who needed to be shown
the way. Greatness in the kingdom was identified as childlikeness (Matthew
18:1-5).
As we look upon a little child we discover three
characteristics that help us understand kingdom greatness:
Humility-
Humility is a disposition that says, “There is no greatness in me.” Little
children are not concerned about their status, title, or how much they know. As
kingdom people our prayer should be, “Lord, help me to be less so You can be
more.”
Dependency-
Little children are dependent upon another to provide for them, guide them,
protect them, and care for them. As kingdom people we are as dependent upon the
Lord as a branch is upon the vine.
Trust-
Little children live in simplicity. Life isn’t complicated. They don’t live
under a cloud of doubt. As kingdom people we live by faith, and our trust is
fully in the Lord.
The song of the kingdom is not How Great I Am,
it is How Great Thou Art. Kingdom greatness is found in God Himself—His is
the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever! Our greatness is found in
having the childlike characteristics of humility, dependency, and trust in the
Lord that allow us to discover His greatness.
©2019 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. All rights reserved.
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