When God Says …
“And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child, and set him by him, and said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me: for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great.” (Luke 9:47-48 KJV).
Amidst the disciples’ crab-like-mentality-sounding commotion to grab greatness, the Lord Jesus having perceived their hearts’ thoughts turned the world’s whole idea of greatness upside down. Throughout history of the nations and the world, most people have established that greatness is determined by status, position, and being served by others. The Lord Jesus, however, taught and demonstrated that greatness is determined by service to others, especially those whom some see as unimportant and considered society’s rejects.
In the days when the Lord Jesus was here in the flesh, to give attention to and to welcome or care about children was considered a waste of time by so called "people of importance". The child was a symbol of those viewed as of no value as a person - only insignificant people spent their time on kids not their own. However, the Lord Jesus said that a truly important Kingdom person is going to find the left out, the forgotten, and the neglected to welcome and serve them, rather than trying to name-drop, hang around with the "in crowd" and ride on coat-tails of the rich and nobility. Greatness is about serving the least. It is neither about standing on a pedestal nor having great numbers of following on social media.
In the Kingdom of God, each one of us who are saved by grace must keep rooted in our hearts that greatness is being least and last. When in another occasion the issue of taking a seat of greatness popped up among the disciples, the Lord Jesus raised the bar from serving to sacrifice. It is written: “But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles Lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”” (Matthew 20:25-28 ESV).
And I say, AMEN!
Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries
When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.
Partners For Christ Ministries, INC
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477
Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.
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