Matthew 18:3-4 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.

I imagine that the child Jesus chose was perhaps a 4 or 5 year old. Up to that point children are generally obedient and trusting. They look to their parents for comfort, protection and approval and give no thought to how their daily needs will be met. They run to mama and papa because they love to be carried and will often curl up in their arms for rest. In short, they feel safe and being in the presence of their parents gives them pleasure.

We are not in the habit of associating greatness with little children. Yet I believe Jesus was pointing out that we need to look to God through the eyes of a child. Not all children are privileged to have the kind of parents I just described above, but those who do have the best chance of becoming great at whatever they choose to do in life. Similarly, if we who are children of God can learn the humility of a child and look to the Father with childlike trust, God will be able to work out in our lives his will and purpose. That leads to greatness in the Father’s kingdom.

The other door to greatness that Jesus described in Matthew 23:11-12 also runs counter to our normal way of thinking, “The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” My goodness, how radical is that! Nowhere do you catch a trace of the world’s standards of greatness: the rich and powerful, famous scientists, professors, inventors, actors, kings, queens, and so on. It is not that their status is the problem, but rather it is the attitude and response of the heart toward God and their willingness to be a servant that will make the difference. This is sobering for me because this requires me to humble myself and begin to look at people through new lenses and ask: “How may I be of service to you?” How do you see yourself in the glare of this searchlight?