Humility

I love the Philips paraphrase of the passage I am to preach on this Lord's Day.

Matthew 18:1-6 It was at this time that the disciples came to Jesus with the question, "Who is really greatest in the kingdom of Heaven?" Jesus called a little child to his side and set him on his feet in the middle of them all. "Believe me," he said, "unless you change your whole outlook and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven. It is the man who can be as humble as this little child who is greatest in the kingdom of Heaven. "Anyone who welcomes one child like this for my sake is welcoming me. But if anyone leads astray one of these little children who believe in me he would be better off thrown into the depths of the sea with a mill-stone hung round his neck!"

Children are such a good illustration of true Christianity. They are generally devoid of ambition (apart from learning some new talent), pride (two words: eating habits), are teachable (they want to be like their parents), live in delight of what is around them (just give them some mud), they trust in ways that are sometimes scary (ever had a kid say "catch me" and then jump when you were not ready?), they believe what they are told (I am guilty of using this to my advantage and here repent). In short, children are humble.

Humility has become a forgotten virtue in some believers lives. Has it in you? The disciples of Jesus' day did not get it and, sometimes, we do not either. So pray with me today, "Lord, strengthen me in my weakness and, by the power of Your Holy Spirit, help me as I humble myself in the light of Your Word, for Jesus' name sake, Amen."