'A dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest.' Luke 9:46 NKJV
The Bible says: 'Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest. And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a little child and set him by Him, and said to them, "Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you all will be great"' (Luke 9:46-48 NKJV).
What's at work in this story?
As long as your motive for serving is to make yourself look good, you'll never enjoy God's approval.
And His 'well done' is the only thing that counts.
The ability to serve behind the scenes, and do it with joy, comes from the knowledge that ultimately your service will be recognised and rewarded by the only One whose opinion counts.
Why did Jesus feature a child that day?
For three reasons:
(1) A child is teachable. When you're finished learning, you're finished! When you can't be told, God will have nothing more to tell you. 'The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it out' (Proverbs 18:15 NIV).
(2) A child is trusting. When you promise a child something; they believe you, act on it, and expect it to be so. 'It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man' (Psalm 118:8 NKJV).
(3) A child is tender-hearted. 'Finally, all of you...be tender-hearted...' (1 Peter 3:8 NKJV). The Holy Spirit is symbolised in Scripture as a gentle dove, so keep your heart tender and receptive to His dealings.
SoulFood: Isa 53-57, John 8:42-59, Ps 123, Pr 29:1-3
Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Thursday, 7 November 2013
APPS available here
