Matthew 18, Msg
Whoever Becomes Simple Again
18 At about the same time, the disciples came to Jesus asking, “Who gets the highest rank in God’s kingdom?”

2-5 For an answer Jesus called over a child, whom he stood in the middle of the room, and said, “I’m telling you, once and for all, that unless you return to square one and start over like children, you’re not even going to get a look at the kingdom, let alone get in. Whoever becomes simple and elemental again, like this child, will rank high in God’s kingdom. What’s more, when you receive the childlike on my account, it’s the same as receiving me.

6-7 “But if you give them a hard time, bullying or taking advantage of their simple trust, you’ll soon wish you hadn’t. You’d be better off dropped in the middle of the lake with a millstone around your neck. Doom to the world for giving these God-believing children a hard time! Hard times are inevitable, but you don’t have to make it worse—and it’s doomsday to you if you do.

8-9 “If your hand or your foot gets in the way of God, chop it off and throw it away. You’re better off maimed or lame and alive than the proud owners of two hands and two feet, godless in a furnace of eternal fire. And if your eye distracts you from God, pull it out and throw it away. You’re better off one-eyed and alive than exercising your twenty-twenty vision from inside the fire of hell.

10 “Watch that you don’t treat a single one of these childlike believers arrogantly. You realize, don’t you, that their personal angels are constantly in touch with my Father in heaven?

This is real, heart to heart, teaching from Jesus to his human disciples who are used to Roman oppression in their own lives. They see a way out, in their eyes, of this oppressive leadership who pulls rank over their people frequently. Along comes Jesus who commands an “upside-down kingdom” way of thinking…for all of us.

Jesus came as a leader who works from the bottom up. The world works from the top down, in other words. Jesus admonishes his followers, in a way, by telling them if you want to rank as the greatest, you must become the least. You must come, ready to serve. Lay down the attitude of expecting to be served.

We also are cautioned not to pull rank on new believers as we come alongside them, helping them as we were helped when we were new to the faith. Be careful that we don’t lift ourselves up to being “greater than” because that, in itself, causes others to feel “less than” when under our care in a discipleship relationship. We are equal, completely equal in the eyes of our Lord.

We are to grow from childish expression of being merely impressed with Jesus to a childlike faith that is simple, growing, with full trust in our Lord.

Mm, these are the simple thoughts over today’s passage. The question that we must ask ourselves, “How do I rank?” Am I seeking position or ways to serve my fellow coworkers, family members, friends and even my enemies? How do I rank?

Dear Heavenly Father, We get so full of ourselves that we lose You! We repent of seeking position and rank and lean heavily into your thinking, your ways so that we will behave more graciously, full of mercy and unconditional love…like you love us. In Jesus Name, Amen