"LOSING"

      "At that time the disciple 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 as this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."'

                                       MATTHEW 18 : 1- 4

Who is great i. God's eyes? Jesus sets up a little child as His answer. Mind you, childhood back in those days was a condition not to be desired by any adult, and Jesus poinst to the child not as a winsome example of how charming and simple we're supposed to be, but rather how lowly.

        When it came to the social ladder, children were losers. In the disciple's eyes, they didn't even qualify for the first rung. Yet if we want to follow Jesus, we must be like children---lacking rights needing instruction, and enjoying little-to-no respect.

        Throughout Scripture, Jesus exalts losers. Whethers highlighting children, or hobnobbing with prostitutes and tax collectors, Jesus rubs the salt of lostness into the sensibilities of those who are preoccupied with the sweetness of their success.

        Jesus lifts up the last. The least. The lost. The little. And even the dead. He drives home that He will not reward the rewardable or improve the improvable. His grace is reserved for those who, like child, see themselves as . . . littles. Who is great in God's eyes? Whoever humbles himself like such a child is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

        Malcolm Muggeridge said, "Jesus is mot a prophet to the 

        winners but to losers, proclaiming that the last shall be first, 

        the weak, strong, and the fools, wise. It is the lowly, not the

        proud, who shall inherit the kingdom of heaven."

        When I see a child today, Lord, help me to see who You want

        me  to be.