Matthew 18:1-6

¹ At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the most important in the kingdom from the sky?”

² So, after calling a child to him, he put him in the middle of them

³ and said, “Honestly, I tell you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom from the sky.

⁴ Whoever humbles himself like this child is the most important in the kingdom from the sky.

⁵ “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me,

⁶ but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone strapped to his neck and to be drowned in the deep sea.

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important people

Sometimes we misread this text. In our desire to guard against arrogance and pride, we think Jesus is encouraging us to be childish instead of child-like. To Become like a little child is to accept the grace of God and enter his kingdom on the basis of that grace, not on the basis of our own accomplishments or presumed importance to the kingdom.

But Jesus is saying that the kingdom will have important people. He is in the process of training a few disciples who will be literally his only means of winning the world to himself. So, in order to correct a possible misunderstanding of his simile, Jesus warns these disciples of the danger involved in misusing their leadership. They must be careful not to cause anyone to sin.

One way they would be tempted to cause others to sin is by glorifying themselves instead of Christ. History shows that the church has a tendency to put its leaders on a pedestal. Jesus warned these foundational saints to keep Christ’s followers from becoming their followers.

LORD, if you choose to make us important, give us the wisdom to use that importance to honor you, and not ourselves.