Matthew 18:1-4 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”  He called a little child and had him stand among them.  And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

After all the time He had spent with them, I’m sure it exasperated Jesus no end to have them ask Him who was “greatest.” Their think­ing was still stuck in their culture, when He had reason to expect it to be shifting to Kingdom thinking. The NIV says He told them they had to “change,” but the Japanese agrees with many other translations and says “repent.” Wrong thinking leads us to sin! It is things like this that give total validity to such statements as, “There is no one righteous, not even one.” (Romans 3:10) We are forever jockeying for position, wanting to be first, when Jesus, who is absolutely the First, humbled Himself so totally as to be scourged, stripped, and nailed to a cross in order to purchase our salvation. (Philippians 2:5-8) We are so prone to forget Whom we serve! It is the highest honor to be able to serve Him, even if that service is as lowly as, say, emptying bedpans. For the true follower of Jesus Christ, there is no service that is “beneath” them.

I am grateful to have been raised by parents who were good examples in this area. My father was a university chancellor, on multiple boards, and eventually awarded by the emperor, but I never saw anything in him that came across to me as personal pride. When an American appliance of one of the other missionaries broke down, he was the one they called to fix it! However, his example pales when compared to that of Jesus, so I am never to be satisfied with where I am spiritually, but keep pressing in for more of my Lord. I am to remember that nothing I have, in possessions or abilities or anything else, in any way compares to the magnificence of my Lord, and it’s all a gift from Him anyway. As He has so graciously told me to do, I am to rest, relax, and rejoice in Him, allowing Him to sort everything out because that will be for my greatest blessing, as well as blessing for those around me, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for all we were able to get done yesterday, and that the floor looks really nice. I ask for wisdom and skill in getting the automatic doors properly reinstalled. Thank You that I was able to get them to where they could be locked last night, but that one bolt doesn’t want to go in. I pray for wisdom, dexterity and strength to get it in and get the shims properly placed for the doors to be properly balanced and work smoothly. I also ask for wisdom in when to put in the rest of the baseboards and thresholds, to have a good final result and minimize wear and tear on my body. Thank You. Praise God!