Thursday, November 18, 2010

Obsessed with Power

Our culture is obsessed with power, fame and wealth. It is the condition of human nature. If we meet someone who is an owner of a business or the CEO of fortune 500 company, do we show deference to them over the school janitor or the garbage man?

The disciples had the same flaw. Several times they asked Jesus who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven (Mathew 18:1; Mark 9:34; Luke 9:45). Jesus answered by picking up a small child and setting him on his lap. “…Unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in my name receives me” (Mt 18:2-6).

Little children are loud. They cry. They laugh. They climb. They jump. They scream. They can be obnoxious. Did Jesus mean we should be immature like children?

No. He did mean we are to be authentic. Have you ever been in a room with two toddlers? If one falls the other cries with him. Neither one of them asks about the status of the other. They authentically care for each other.

Let’s check our motives.