The Olympic games being in progress the past week has provided a number of events in which the idea of greatness and physical prowess have been on display. People who have devoted their entire lives to this point to the craft of their sport. They have mastered techniques, and some have become so dominant and innovative in their respective skills that they have developed new skills uniquely named then after themselves as author of these techniques. In all of this, words like “greatest” have been used a lot. All of these pursuits, and the countless hours and dedication are for but a small glimmer of glory from men. While they may be remembered for years, it likely won’t matter in a century who won the gold medal in any event of the 33rd Olympiad.
I bring these considerations up, because we find Jesus disciples were concerned with greatness in the 1st Century. We find them asking Him about being the greatest in Matthew 18: 1-2. By way of answering them, he replied, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew
18:3-4).”
In order to be the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven, we have to be converted like little children. This is a description of humility and meekness. Jesus didn’t want His disciples seeking glory over one another, nor did He lay these things out as a competition. He rather describes the need to be changed from who we have been. We have previously been seeking our own. We have previously been desiring of glory and admiration from others, things that are selfish by their very nature.
So then how can we be converted? Paul describes it, I believe as being a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1-2). That is in the obeying of the Gospel, and seeking but entrance to the Kingdom of Heaven, we must die to sin and live for God through Jesus Christ (Romans 6:11). This is of course a process which begins at our obedience to the good news of salvation in Jesus involving our repentance and the remission of sins through baptism into Jesus Christ(Acts 2:38, 3:19). So this isn’t something that suddenly and miraculously changes us, but is the birth of a new creature that is being constantly transformed and growing in the likeness of God (2 Corinthians 5:17).
In this new creature is found then the humility of a child to take our minds back to the original text (Matthew 18:3-4). James described in his letter the need to be humbled that we might be lifted up (James 4:10). This is again part of our conversion. When we are converted like little children, we will put others ahead of ourself.
We will start to change our behavior which begins by changing our thinking. (Philippians 2:3-4). Children are used as an example of this. Children are not self-reliant. They are in fact in full need of care from others and a reliance on that care – God’s care as our Father. This is the relationship that we enter through Jesus Christ.
Being born of Him, and puttng on reliance of the Father, being humbled, we must have a converted heart. Our heart which has that childlike faith, trust, and reliance is one that exhibits such by our faith. Children believe in their parents. Just ask a little boy and he will tell you how his mom or dad is the greatest of all. They can fix anything, heal any wound, protect from any harm. This is what children should observe and believe of their parents, yet as we grow older and learn more about life, we start to see in a different light that our parents don’t really have all the power that we thought about them when we were little children. Here’s the thing about God as our Father – He really does have all of those qualities that we might have thought about our own parents as children. He provides for all of those things in this life, and in eternity. So we should obey Him. We should follow His teaching, instruction, and correction (1 Peter 1:14-15; Hebrews 12:1-5).
We should also then, having been born again be pure. (2 Corinthians 5:17; Matthew 5:8). This conversion is by its very definition then a transformation from the old man who followed sin and the cares of this world, this life, to that of new attitudes, behaviors, and priorities. Being transformed to be like little children then is seeking that of the kingdom of heaven above seeking power, glory, and honor in the kingdoms of men (Matthew 25:34).
In order to receive the heavenly glory, we will serve others and put them before ourselves (Philippians 2:3-4). We will have a priority for God in our lives above that of ourselves (Matthew 6:33). We will lose ourselves in Him, and in the doing, we will find the self that is created in His image (Matthew 10:39), we will seek to look like our Father, act like our Father, have interests which align with Him (Ephesians 5:1-2), and we will receive from Him that which has been promised (2 Peter 1:4). We have been adopted as sons through Christ Jesus and so receive in Him the promise of eternal life (Romans 8:15-17).