Matthew 18:3, 4 (KJV) And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18:3, 4 (AMP) And said, Truly I say to you, unless you repent (change, turn about) and become like little children [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving], you can never enter the kingdom of heaven [at all]. Whoever will humble himself therefore and become like this little child [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving] is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. WORD STUDY Become As Little Children. This is how Jesus characterized conversion. Like the Beatitudes, it pictures faith as the simple, helpless, trusting dependence of those who have no resources of their own. Like children, they have no achievements and no accomplishments to offer or commend themselves with. [MacArthur Daily Bible 2003] INTRODUCTION Before Honor Is Humility Very tenderly, yet with solemn emphasis, Jesus tried to correct the evil. He showed what is the principle that bears sway in the kingdom of heaven, and in what true greatness consists, as estimated by the standard of the courts above. Before honor is humility. To fill a high place before men, Heaven chooses the worker who, like John the Baptist, takes a lowly place before God. The most childlike disciple is the most efficient in labor for God. The heavenly intelligences can co-operate with him who is seeking, not to exalt self, but to save souls. But when men exalt themselves, feeling that they are a necessity for the success of God's great plan, the Lord causes them to be set aside. It was not enough for the disciples of Jesus to be instructed as to the nature of His kingdom. What they needed was a change of heart that would bring them into harmony with its principles. The simplicity, the self-forgetfulness, and the confiding love of a little child are the attributes that Heaven values. These are the characteristics of real greatness The sincere, contrite soul is precious in the sight of God. He places His own signet upon men, not by their rank, not by their wealth, not by their intellectual greatness, but by their oneness with Christ. {DA 436, 7} COMMENTARY PEARL This morning I caught a snowflake on my tongue. My husband and I walked around the block, savoring the fluffy snowfall. Sounds became muted. Grubby streets shimmered with a coating of brightness. It stirred memories of being a child and waking up the day of a blizzard. A snow day - school was closed. Instead of the expected routine, we had a surprising day of freedom and fun. Snow angels, sledding, and cocoa! When I ponder what Jesus means in His call to become like a child, that sense of excitement and joy comes to mind. Children have the capacity to embrace a gift and revel in it. Jesus offers a surprise far more exhilarating than a snow day. Instead of trudging along trying to draw close to God by my own efforts, Jesus steps in to whisper, "The work is done. You're free" (John 19:30). Strange as it seems, that's not always easy for me to embrace. I often slip into striving for God's approval, when Jesus reassures that His love is already unconditional. I feel a need to remind everyone of the rules, instead of celebrating undeserved grace. I worry about temporary problems on every side, even though Jesus has said He has gone ahead to prepare a place for me (John 14:3) and that eternity will be free of pain and tears (Revelation 21:4). So today, I'll respond like a little child to a blessed snow day. Sharon Hinck Faith Step: What brought you delight as a child? Enjoy an activity that reminds you how to have childlike faith and exuberance for all Jesus has done. [Mornings With Jesus 2023 Devotional by Guideposts and Zondervan] CLOSING THOUGHT Continuous conversion These words of Our Lord are true of our initial conversion, but we have to be continuously converted all the days of our lives, continually to turn to God as children. If we trust to our wits instead of to God, we produce consequences for which God will hold us responsible. Immediately our bodies are brought into new conditions by the providence of God, we have to see our natural life obeys the dictates of the Spirit of God. Because we have done it once is no proof that we shall do it again. The relation of the natural to the spiritual is one of continuous conversion, and it is the one thing we object to. In every setting in which we are put, the Spirit of God remains unchanged and His salvation unaltered but we have to put on the new man. God holds us responsible every time we refuse to convert ourselves, our reason for refusing is willful obstinacy. Our natural life must not rule, God must rule in us. The hindrance in our spiritual life is that we will not be continually converted, there are wadges of obstinacy where our pride spits at the throne of God and says"I wont. We deify independence and willfulness and call them by the wrong name. What God looks on as obstinate weakness, we call strength. There are whole tracts of our lives which have not yet been brought into subjection, and it can only be done by this continuous conversion. Slowly but surely we can claim the whole territory for the Spirit of God. [My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers] LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY Matthew 18:3 ,4 - The Faith of a Child. http://www.abible.com/devotions/2023/20230201-0847.html LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT https://abible.com/links/