The Greatest
“An argument started among them as to which of them might be the greatest. But Jesus, knowing what they were thinking in their heart, took a child and stood him by His side, said to them, “Whoever receives this child in My name receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me; for the one who is least among all of you, this is the one who is great.” (Luke 9:46-48)
We live in a world where VIPs exist, being first matters, and accolades and achievement give you an edge in society. This has pushed many to get ahead at the expense of others and literally sell themselves for the applause of men. But Jesus points out the selfish motives behind all this. That is why, in this passage, He used a child as his illustration. A child does not desire money, fame, fortune or success. The child desires to be loved and taken care of. They are fragile and helpless, yet they don’t worry about what they will look like or what tomorrow will bring. They enjoy life and are not rushed by the stresses of the world. They do not strive to build a name or crave to be number one. They rely on and trust their parents for everything they need.
Jesus wants us to be like children. We don’t need titles or trophies to prove our worth because in the eyes of God, a man who has his confidence in the Lord is already great. The Lord wants us to focus on eternal things. What matters most is that we live a life surrendered to Jesus. Let us make Christ famous by making Him number one in everything we do. It all starts with complete dependence on Him.
PRAYER
Lord thank you for pointing out that what the world calls as great means nothing to you. Teach us to find our worth in you and you alone
APPLICATION
Be great by giving way to someone today whether it’s in traffic or lining up in the grocery.