March 5, 2024

Matthew 18:1-9 (HCSB)
Who Is the Greatest?
18 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “Who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
2 Then He called a child to Him and had him stand among them. 3 “I assure you,” He said, “unless you are converted and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child—this one is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever welcomes one child like this in My name welcomes Me.
6 “But whoever causes the downfall of one of these little ones who believe in Me—it would be better for him if a heavy millstone were hung around his neck and he were drowned in the depths of the sea! 7 Woe to the world because of offenses. For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes. 8 If your hand or your foot causes your downfall, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or lame, than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into the eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes your downfall, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, rather than to have two eyes and be thrown into hellfire!

Dana Dorris
Have you ever heard the saying, “Seeing isn’t believing; believing is seeing”? I think Jesus is trying to tell the people here something along those lines. I love how He uses His situations and surroundings to make a point. These guys had been perseverating over this for a while, and finally, they asked who was the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. This may have been a battle of the ego, but we will leave that there. Jesus sees this little kiddo nearby and brings him into the conversation. This child represented how innocence and humility are so freely found and how quickly they fade as we age. We don’t have to ‘see’ Jesus to believe He is who He is. Believing in Him should make us strive to let others ‘see’ Him in everything we do, including putting our egos in check.