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Here’s Hope: “Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world. Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in his sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.” S
Song: Jesus Loves The Little Children. Words by C. Herbert Woolston. Music by George F. Root.
Bible Reading: Matthew 18:1-4 “At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘ Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Please read the entire passage from Matthew.
Consider This: This past Friday morning, I was a bit overwhelmed with trying to take care of some of my Dad’s personal business which I help him with since he is confined to an assisted living facility these days. I was rather irritated with the business I was trying to communicate with on my Dad’s behalf.
I went into the copier room in the church office and happened upon a little boy named Andrew. He was busy and quite content as he was using his imagination to create some tiny projects he was making with his hands. I asked him what he was doing and he began to explain in detail about the intricacies of his creations which he had made. His smile and his enthusiasm indicated to me that he was very pleased with his work. The contrast between Andrew’s attitude and mine was apparent. Andrew’s attitude demonstrated the joy he derived from his creative workings and the pleasure he found in his imaginative art. It occurred to me, I wish I had his joy and perspective about what I was engaged in that morning.
In the Bible passage from Matthew’s gospel today, we can observe Jesus saying, “unless you 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.” One commentary I read regarding this passage said, “Jesus used a child to help his self-centered disciples get the point. We are not to be childish (arguing over petty issues) but rather childlike, with humble and sincere hearts.” A humble spirit goes a long way in helping us realize, it’s not about us. We should become angry or disappointed when life isn’t centered around our wants and needs. We as Jesus’s disciples, should put others' needs ahead of our own. We should humbly be willing to serve our church and our Savior just as Christ served and gave himself for us. May our joy be like Andrew’s, may we take pleasure in doing God’s work with a humble spirit of contentment.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, please help us to find our joy in serving You with a humble heart and a positive outlook about life. May our joy be empowered by your Holy Spirit working in our lives each day. Amen.