When the disciples asked
the Lord, “Who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” (Matt. 18:1) it is
evident that they were not expecting an answer such as the Lord gave them. They
needed to be instructed in the “kingdom of heaven,” and the Lord, after His own
perfect manner, teaches them His thoughts of what true greatness is.
“And Jesus called a little
child unto Him, and set him in the midst of them, and said, Verily I say
unto you, Except you be converted and become as little children, you
shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven” (18:2,3).
These are stirring and
soul-searching words! What a rebuke to the pride and haughtiness so native to
our hearts! God has decreed that “no flesh [shall] glory in His presence” (1
Cor. 1:29). “Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).
How rare a thing it is, in
these days of “great men” and “great things,” to find those whose character
answers to that of a “little child,” even though quite as intelligent as any.
Yet the Lord assures us with His own “verily” that none other shall be found in
His kingdom.
Man’s way ever since the
fall has been to “get to the top of the heap,” “to be first,” to “look out for
number one.” It was this wretched principle which the arch-usurper suggested to
man in the garden when he said, “You shall be as God” (Gen. 3:5). Man, alas,
acquiesced in it, and has faithfully followed it until this day.
Self-sufficiency!
Self-importance! What hateful things to behold in others, and how often
manifest unconsciously in oneself! What was it that led Cain to slay his
brother Abel? He was enraged when God gave Abel the place of favor. And why did
God favor Abel? Because he humbled himself before God, taking a position before
Him of one who was unworthy, and seeking His face through the merits of a
Substitute. Cain, on the other hand, expected God to recognize him and his
gifts by virtue of merits in himself, and when God refused to allow Cain
thus to glory in His presence, he wreaked his vengeance on his meek and lowly
brother.
Thus early in man’s history
did God permit the fruit of this principle to manifest itself. And yet men
applaud each other when they outdo their fellows in reaching up to
positions of prominence and superiority. But, thanks be to God, there will be
nothing of this kind of “greatness” in that kingdom over which the Son
of Man shall sway the scepter. There, all the subjects will be in character
like Him who will rule over them. All in that kingdom will be found conformed
to the image of the Son, “that He might be the Firstborn among many brethren”
(Rom. 8:29). There all will be as “little children,” “for of such is the
kingdom of heaven.” This divine saying is not to be stripped of its spiritual
meaning, however true it may be literally. “Whosoever therefore shall
humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom
of heaven” (Matt. 18:4). The very form of this expression shows that there will
be nothing like competition found in Christ’s kingdom. All who thus
humble themselves are equally great. There is no rivalry there.
We do not find in God’s
history of His people any who were “giants.” There were some of these abnormal
persons both before and after the flood; but they were always found to be
enemies of God and of His people, and their destruction under God’s hand is a
rebuke to man’s greatness and pride. Neither were the children of Israel renowned for their physical, intellectual, commercial, or military greatness. Indeed
they were in many respects the weakest nation on the earth; but this very fact
made their dependence upon God the more evident, and He delighted to be known
as the “God of Israel,” yes, even as the “God of Jacob.”
The very “Lord of Glory”
has linked Himself with those who have abased themselves in His presence.
“Whoso shall receive one such little child in My name receives Me”
(Matt. 18:5). The Lord is evidently referring in this saying to those who go
forth with His testimony, having no human credentials, nothing but His name to
show to men as their authority for going forth. To go forth in one’s own name,
one must be somewhat “great” in men’s eyes, but this greatness is not of Him
who says, “I am meek and lowly in heart” (Matt. 11:29)and “I am among you as He
that serves” (Luke 22:27). It savors rather of him who will “come in his own
name,” claiming the honors that belong to the Lord Jesus Christ.
What an honor to be sent
forth by the Lord Himself, the Sovereign of the universe! See to it, beloved
servants of the Lord Jesus, that His own lowly character be found in you in all
your ways with men, in all your appeals to the world for His sake, in all your
ministry of love among His sheep. Oh to faithfully represent Him who humbled
Himself even to the death of the cross, that He might exalt those who, counting
themselves nothing, put all their trust in Him!
Beware lest you cause one
of the least of His own to stumble. Oh how watchful we need to be, lest in any
way we exalt self and set a false standard for Christ’s “little ones.” A child
readily imitates a parent or an older brother or sister, and the people of God
are unconsciously molded, to a large extent, by those who are their spiritual
guides. What a responsibility therefore rests upon those who are the pastors
and teachers of Christ’s flock, and what care is needed lest they should cause
“one of these little ones to stumble.”
On the other hand, what a
blessed place to be in as one of the Lord’s “little ones!” To have the
assurance of His care, His protection, His grace and His love. The Lord here
warns any against despising those who thus look up to Him in true dependence.
He says, “Take heed that you despise not one of these little ones” (a thing we
are apt to do if puffed up with a feeling of our own importance), “for I say
unto you that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of My Father who
is in heaven” (Matt. 18:10).
A comparison of this
Scripture with Numbers 12 will probably make clear what is in the Lord’s mind.
Aaron and Miriam had despised and spoken against Moses on account of his
marrying an Ethiopian. Moses meekly bears their cruel words in the true spirit
of one of the Lord’s “little ones”; but the Lord answers for him, and shows
them that Moses has an intimacy with Himself to which they were
strangers. Why then did they not fear to speak against one whom the Lord so
honored? It seems to be a parallel here. Those whom men despise for their
lowliness and self-abasement have an intimacy with the Father to which the
world’s “great” ones are utter strangers.
The Lord now speaks of
these “little ones” as those who have acknowledged themselves to have “gone
astray” like lost sheep. It has given Him more joy to recover one of
them than for ninety-nine who, in their own estimation, went not astray (Matt.
18:12,13). If God could rejoice in Adam unfallen, how much more over those whom
He has redeemed to Himself from the distance and condition they were in by the
fall. Has He not as the Good Shepherd come to seek and save the lost? Those who
have owned themselves lost, and trusted as their Saviour Him who went to the
cross for them, are the “little ones” over whom He rejoices. They have given
Him more joy than all the so-called righteous who went not astray, and it is
not the Father’s will that any one of these “little ones” should perish (Matt.
18:14). The self-righteous will perish, for they have no Saviour. They are
sufficient to themselves.
In closing, what we have
said here in no sense denies that the Lord included the little children in the
literal sense of the word. But He so speaks as to take in all who humble
themselves in His sight and put their trust in Him.
(From Help and Food,
Vol. 31.)