Jesus Reaching Out to a Child in the Villageby CBPepper
18:4Matthew 18:4
Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
When his followers quarreled on the way about who would hold highest rank, Jesus set a little child in their midst to show that entering his kingdom requires conversion to childlike humility. To be greatest is to be lowliest, meek and teachable, submissive and dependent on God, simple in faith and pure in love, emptied of pride and selfishness. Greatness there is inward excellence of character, purity of motive, mercy and love, not outward position, wealth, learning, talent or display. All striving for supremacy, envy, criticism and contempt of weak and newly believing brethren is therefore forbidden, for what is done to the least is done to Christ himself. Those in responsibility must daily humble themselves, refuse to lord over others, receive correction, forgive, and minister with gentleness, which brings unity and fitness for saving souls.
Setting and Occasion
The disciples fell into dispute by the way over who should be greatest, because they looked for an earthly kingdom and were ambitious for rank within it. Jesus answered by calling a little child and setting him in the midst, teaching that entrance into the kingdom requires conversion and that childlike humility is the condition of belonging to it. His answer rejected self-assertion and striving for supremacy and self-will, and called for humbled hearts that learn lowliness rather than seek position. True greatness in heaven belongs not to whoever gains the highest place but to whoever humbles himself as that little child, following Christ's example as a humble pattern for those entrusted with the gospel.
This took place at Capernaum after He had told them He would be betrayed into the hands of enemies and put to death and rise again, words they did not comprehend while a shadow of sorrow rested upon them. Even then unholy rivalry found place in their hearts, so that He went ahead while they loitered behind in dispute. He read their thoughts, called them to Himself, and asked what they had disputed by the way, then took the child and set him among them to teach conversion and becoming as little children as the condition for entering the kingdom. That lesson condemned pride and ambition and selfishness and love of supremacy and rivalry and following independent judgment, calling instead for the kind and loving nature of Christ, for companionship and close relation as children of God, and for united work in counsel and mutual help. Christ held up the child as the pattern of greatness, not any man as a superior to copy for position, not even Peter or John. To be greatest is to make oneself lowly, teachable, and converted like a child, and that childlike humility both rebukes all striving for supremacy and is required for entrance.
The little child and the little ones mean those who are little in Christ, weak believing brethren with many defects who have not yet gained experience in following Him and seeking the things of the kingdom. They include people newly born into the faith who are still children in experience, and the grasping ambition the disciples showed is unworthy because it gives them a wrong example and can harm them. They are not babies or merely those young in years, but believers little in faith who need to be led and depend on guidance. Such weak brethren are the special charge of angels, and therefore greatness as childlike humility forbids selfishly neglecting, despising, holding in contempt, judging, condemning, discouraging, or unforgivingly exacting upon them, and requires compassion with earnest labor and persevering effort to save the lost.
The whole eighteenth chapter belongs together as practical rules and educating lessons of high and holy principle for daily practical life, to be remembered, obeyed, woven into Christian life, and strictly carried out. When fully carried out it creates a different atmosphere in the family, in the school, and in the church. Its instruction calls for loving God wholly and neighbor as self, and for workers and brethren to love one another as brothers, tenderhearted and compassionate and courteous, and not to draw apart from one another. Each person is to tend and purify his own thoughts rather than fasten upon faults in others, which keeps words from being spoken recklessly to cause harm. Understanding and following these principles with humility and a right spirit toward others is necessary for conduct God can commend, especially for those in responsibility in training youth, who must first reform self, be united as branches in the true vine under the one head Christ Jesus, be molded after the divine similitude with Christ formed within, and then show perfect love and tenderness and deep interest toward youth.
Meaning of Childlike Humility
Whoever lowers himself like a little child is greatest in the kingdom of heaven, for greatness there is measured by such lowliness and not by rank, status, position, outward splendor or authority. Followers, including leaders, must learn submission rather than seek authority before they have learned to obey, since ambition for rank in an earthly kingdom must be changed into the humility essential to entering and belonging to God's kingdom. Those who know and love God and walk humbly before Him are truly great, and doing justly and loving mercy shows a sanctified heart and life. This humility does not strive for supremacy but is meek and lowly rather than lifted up by superiority, for claiming the highest place of honor does not fit a person for the kingdom, and without conversion to become as little children no one can enter it. It leads to serving even those counted inferior, since the least and weakest are valued and service to them counts as service rendered to Christ, while receiving His little ones stands joined to a solemn warning against the serious harm of offending them.
To humble oneself as a little child is to be converted to meekness and lowliness, teachable, yielding, submissive and obedient, dependent on God and on guidance, simple in faith, pure in love, courageous yet trustful, with self under control and emptied of selfishness, pride and self-sufficiency. Like a child the believer eagerly takes Christ's hand, accepts His guidance, and learns His meekness and lowliness, thereby becoming like Christ in spiritual excellence rather than in earthly display, wealth, position or honor. Such willing submission to God's training and discipline keeps a person from giving the enemy advantage, for anxious striving for the highest place ends in the lowest, while walking humbly with God allows Him to use the person for His glory. It means depending on God in helpless dependence, esteeming others above self, not seeking to be first, and turning from the wrong course, with the heart and life guarded from offenses that corrupt or endanger others.
Childlikeness is freedom from guile, hypocrisy, selfishness and unkindness, a change from the natural selfish character through Christ abiding in the heart. It appears in lowly self-knowledge before God, in losing identity in Jesus Christ, in not talking of self and not vindicating self, in thinking little of self and exalting Jesus most, and in willingness to be least of all and servant of all. All pride must perish, all jealousy be overcome, and all ambition for supremacy be given up, while the meekness and trust of the child are encouraged through daily cultivation of humility and childlike simplicity by renewal in the spirit of the mind, learning Christ's meekness and lowliness and wearing His yoke. Those who humble themselves in this way find Christ their rock of defense and strong tower, in whom they may trust implicitly and who will never fail them, for without this spirit life is not hid with Christ in God, and self-importance stands exactly opposite to His meekness and lowliness.
This humility is not shown by literally crawling or creeping on the floor, but by a dignified, Christlike life of gentleness, readiness to help others, kind words and unselfish acts. Its pattern is seen in Jesus Christ, the Majesty of heaven, who humbled Himself to take weak, sinful human nature, battle the powers of darkness, and at the cost of His own life rescue a fallen race. By overcoming sin He opened the way so that everyone who receives Him as Saviour may also overcome, and that same simplicity and humility is to be manifest among all the children of God.
Coming as a little child means trusting God as a child trusts an earthly father, believing every word He speaks and living in the simplicity of true godliness. This humble dependence and trust draws the heart near to God, makes the walk more secure, and leaves no place for self-sufficiency, since strength comes wholly from God through such trust. By it the heart recognizes and resists temptation, and by casting the helpless soul upon the Saviour, Christ becomes righteousness, sanctification, and power to reach others with messages of truth. Even children's humble, trusting response in coming forward seeking salvation, wishing to follow Christ, overcome temptation and belong to His kingdom, shows this first step of faith giving strength for further steps.
Entering and Being Great
No one who exalts himself can enter the kingdom, for entrance requires conversion and becoming as little children, and humility like a little child is essential to entering, belonging to God’s kingdom and being fit for it. This humility is part of the converted spirit required of Christ’s subjects, especially needed among workers in positions of trust, and without it a person cannot be a laborer together with God but will lose the soul and never see the kingdom. Christ holds up a child as the pattern for greatness, not any man as a superior to copy for position, not even Peter, and to be greatest is to make oneself lowly, teachable and converted like a child, which rebukes all striving for supremacy and all ambition and judgmental treatment that offends and harms believers. Those who humble themselves are to walk humbly with God, hide the life in Christ, serve in humble places rather than seek distinction or a higher place of honor, and thus become receptive to Christ’s influence.
In the spiritual kingdom greatness is not rank, status, position, outward splendor, authority, earthly display, wealth, honor, learning, numbers, talents or self-exaltation, but inward spiritual excellence, spiritual purity, excellence of speech, meekness, mercy, justice and the love of God. It is shown in doing justly, loving mercy and walking humbly before God, which is the sanctified heart and life, and it forbids all striving for supremacy while requiring ever learning from Christ by partaking of His spirit and principles in submission and obedience. The child illustrates that excellence as a submissive spirit that eagerly takes Christ’s hand, accepts His guidance, learns His meekness and lowliness, receives as a little child the lessons given by the Teacher, obeys every word proceeding from His mouth, and becomes like Christ. Men must be truly converted, with natural defects of disposition changed for the virtues of Christ’s character, becoming humble, charitable, kind and merciful, loving for His sake all who believe in Him and exerting a Christlike influence, else they will never enter the kingdom. True happiness consists in a pure clean heart cleansed by obedience to the truth, with a disposition to treat men firmly and generously, forgiving injuries instead of avenging them, and showing Christlike love for the men through whom the Lord has wrought as the manifestation of real transformation of character.
God measures greatness by purity of motive, beauty of character and His likeness and Spirit present in the life, not by wealth, education or position, and greatness consists in becoming like a little child in humility, simplicity of faith and purity of love. Those who know and love God and walk humbly before Him, who know Christ whom He sent and love Him as they love God, are truly great, and doing justly, loving mercy and walking humbly is the unfailing evidence of true religion and sanctification of heart, life and character and the test of those chosen and precious. Holding first place as rulers and teachers in the visible church does not make anyone great, and in time those who have not put on Christ will be revealed by their words, spirit and character.
Those striving for position and seeking to be greatest will be called least, while those who become little in their own eyes, depend on God in weakness and walk humbly like children will be first, and the first will be last. Christ impressed this by calling a little child and setting him in the midst, teaching that conversion to childlike humility is required to enter the kingdom. In the last days ambitious self-esteem, self-confidence and exercising of the spirit to exalt self is too broad for the narrow path and strait gate, proves eternal ruin, and, worked by satanic agencies, reveals hereditary and cultivated defects that place persons in the very lowest scale when weighed in the golden scales of the heavenly sanctuary, whereas he who abides in Christ, crucified to the world and dependent on Christ, understands childlike humility and as an overcomer will be highly exalted.
No selfish, rough or unkind person will be in God’s family in heaven to mar its peace and harmony, and no one who exalts self in his work in this world will see the kingdom of God unless changed in spirit to childlike meekness, sincerity and simplicity through love and grace. Only those who humble themselves with the meekness, lowliness and simplicity of a little child are great in the kingdom and ready for the mansions of bliss Jesus has gone to prepare for those preparing themselves through His love and grace, and only those thus transformed are fitted for the society of heaven and the abodes of bliss and the society of the pure and holy. Few will humble themselves in this way, for they must give up pride, desire for supremacy and self-reliance, receive Christ’s grace with a lasting sense of unworthiness, and cease striving to be first.
Heaven’s reward is given by grace rather than earned by greatness, wisdom, status, learning, numbers, talents or self-exaltation, so even the weakest and humblest may receive it through simple faith, obedience and following Christ. Even brief service and humble work are not barriers when done in simple faith and love while following Christ, and the childlike humility of those who approach God in faith is pictured by the everlasting portals opening to a child’s trembling touch. Sitting at the feet of Jesus who is meek and lowly of heart in humility causes the name to stand registered in the books of heaven as great in the sight of God, while praise of men and large sums of money spent to exalt self do not exalt a person one iota in His sight. Unless transformed through the grace of Christ with entire surrender and consecration to be a doer of the word and not a hearer only, the name will not be found upon the records of heaven, because all work corrupted with self is wasted and unacceptable.
Rejecting Rivalry and Contempt
Whoever humbles himself as a little child is greatest in the kingdom of heaven, and that measure forbids all striving for supremacy, rank, mastery and self-exaltation among believers. Self-seeking, self-will and self-sufficiency are condemned, including standing back on dignity when judgment and capabilities are not appreciated, taking satisfaction in the deficiencies of brethren, and letting self interpose between the soul and God as a great hindrance to spirituality. No man is set up as a superior to copy for position, not even Peter or John, but a child is held up as the pattern, and true greatness comes from becoming lowly, teachable, submissive and converted like a child. Followers, including leaders and workers in positions of trust, must therefore learn submission and obedience rather than seek authority before they have learned to obey, humbling their hearts and learning instead of disputing who shall be greatest. Ambition and judgmental treatment of believers offend and harm them, violating the converted spirit required of Christ's subjects.
Inward, concealed and manifest striving of this kind, with envy, jealousy, dissension, self-esteem, strife to be highly esteemed by men, criticism and faultfinding, grieves the Spirit of the Saviour and hinders the work. Those who ought to be a blessing are turned into a curse that retards instead of advances the work, and until this unsanctified element is cleansed from the soul temple the Lord cannot manifest His power and grace through His workers. Meekness and humility must therefore be continually cherished to possess the spirit of Christ, with tenderness and forbearance toward erring people rather than readiness to criticize or condemn them. This lesson applies to all professed Christians and to all workers in the cause of God.
Criticism and faultfinding of this sort is expressly the devil's work. It began in the heavenly courts when he sought sympathy, claimed he could do wonderful things if not hampered by the law of Jehovah, and suggested a change in the government of God for the advantage of the heavenly family. He put his own thoughts in the minds of angels and then repeated them to the highest Authority, covering his tracks while sowing suspicion and distrust of God and of one another, until rebellion had to be met by God's decision and the disloyal were expelled from heaven with the instigator for the good of the loyal and true. The verse thus traces the cause of disaffection and its evil consequences.
Those who have educated and trained themselves as habitual debaters must be converted to humble themselves as a little child in order to be greatest in the kingdom of heaven. The habitual debater beclouds evidence and turns Scripture from its true meaning to win a point, combats and cavils at God's inspired Word over everything not in harmony with his own ideas, lives ready for battle to question and criticize, and plays upon words, misinterprets and misstates until nothing is safe in his hands. To be changed from that combative condition is to become simple, meek, teachable and Christlike, with rugged traits of character softened by the power of God so as to be susceptible to the influence of truth and to look upon the Word of God with reverence as sacred. Without humbling the heart before God in this childlike spirit, rather than confiding in one's own wisdom, no worker can share Christ's throne or enter heaven's kingdom.
The whole chapter is to be read and searched to trace out the cause of disaffection and its evil consequences. It gives light that makes known the reason for difficulties among believers.
Tenderness Toward the Lowly
Christ regards even the least and feeblest whom He purchased and ransomed with His own blood with deep personal interest, so that whatever is done for them is counted as done for Himself. The angels who have access to Him and live in constant communion with Him gladly and willingly minister to the poor and needy who most need help, and for that reason His servants should willingly minister to those they suppose inferior to themselves rather than seeking greatness by rank or status. True greatness in His spiritual kingdom is inward excellence, and those who know and love God and walk humbly before Him are truly great, shown in doing justly, loving mercy, and serving those regarded as inferior instead of striving for position, outward splendor, authority, or supremacy.
The little child and the little ones are little children in Christ, not those young in years, meaning weak believing brethren with many defects and objectionable traits who have not yet gained experience, including those newly born into the faith, who are the special charge of angels. They are to be received, and believers must not selfishly neglect, despise, hold in contempt, judge, condemn, unforgivingly exact upon, discourage, harm, or cause them to stumble, since offending them brings serious harm. Ambition and a judgmental spirit among workers in positions of trust violate the converted, childlike spirit required of Christ's subjects, and instead of words or actions that harm, there must be compassion, earnest labor, and persevering effort to save that which is lost.
Those who love and serve God are to be treated not as servants but as precious people, with kindness, tenderness, love, and affection. Workers in particular are to be treated with the same care and tenderness owed to the child whom Christ placed among the disciples as the pattern.
Humbling oneself with the submissive, teachable spirit of a little child is a personal work of the heart that no one else can do for another, requiring self-sufficiency to be seen for what it is under the Holy Spirit and every person from highest to lowest to confess sin as the heart is touched to reveal defects of character and receive converting power. Christians are to be gentle rather than strive for the highest place, and failure to cultivate that childlike submission leads to dissension and strife. Where this humility is present there is unity, with all standing shoulder to shoulder in perfect accord, so that things that appeared as insurmountable difficulties disappear and a firm, steady, forward and upward movement becomes possible. Applied to God's work, those who want a better state of things must stop brooding over past errors and in love help strengthen one another to prevent errors in the future.
Holding first place as rulers and teachers in the visible church does not make anyone great, for the truly great are those who know God and love Him and know Christ whom He sent and love Him as they love God, while those who have not put on Christ will in time be revealed by words, spirit, and character. To do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly before God is the unfailing evidence of true religion and of sanctification of heart, life, and character, and it is the test of those who are chosen and precious.
Daily Life and Service
Greatness in heaven belongs to the one who humbles himself like a little child rather than seeking supremacy, and this converted spirit is especially required of workers in positions of trust. For those who handle sacred things in ministry, conference leadership and medical work, true greatness is daily humbling of self before God. That means putting aside a selfish unholy spirit, high ideas of capability, envy, jealousy and imagined grievance, ceasing to withdraw to labor alone, taking self in hand, and accepting reprimand and discipline by the Word. It means receiving and practicing the lessons of Christ as learners in His school before attempting to preach, attending faithfully to duty as though personally hearing the Saviour's voice, walking humbly with God in obedience, and refusing mastery over others. Without this daily humbling a man is unfit to preach and his work comes forth defective, and if he persists he will be left to himself in a most severe experience.
Childlike humility forbids claiming leadership or credit for work built through others' labor and sacrifice, and forbids controlling or dominating others. Those in responsibility must not act as rulers or lords over God's heritage, dictate to brethren, control consciences, judge or condemn, but must give wise counsel, reject selfishness, and set an example others can safely follow. Their conduct must not be impatient, boastful or overbearing, for that dishonors Christ and endangers the work. A leader must have a softened, subdued spirit of meekness and lowliness from genuine conversion rather than rule harshly or domineeringly. Harsh domineering rule like a schoolmaster ruling pupils arouses the worst passions of the heart, creates bitterness and strife, leads others to follow the same example, and makes truth distasteful instead of leading people to desire it, while gentleness and tenderness and grace in voice and words, learning how to deal with minds, and guarding against rash impulsive harsh speech that injures speaker and hearers belong to filling a position acceptably, even as president of a conference, without thinking office gives liberty to rule or to embrace too much. As long as a person seeks the Lord earnestly and humbles himself before God as a little child, God will use him to His glory, but self-sufficiency is the opposite of this humility, and when a minister dictates in a masterly manner as though reading hearts and claiming prerogative to praise or censure at pleasure, Satan has mind and heart under control and the Lord is not working with him.
For teachers this humility means conversion from passion, harshness and arbitrary action, putting away the iron satanic spirit whatever it costs, as hard as severing an arm, letting the spirit that prompts harshness die out of heart and church, and letting love and tenderness and forbearance come in. In mind and spirit the teacher must become as a little child and put himself on the child's level to be a proper instructor, understanding that the child's trials are greater to the child than adult trials are to adults. Correction must never be sudden seizure and shaking or bruising, which bruises the teacher's own soul more and destroys manhood, but taking the child alone, praying and talking, showing the will of Christ, and binding the child to the heart, dealing with human minds as tenderly as Christ has dealt. The child is an object lesson for parents to treat children with Christlike gentleness, value their souls, and avoid harsh words or painful discipline and forcing the will upon them. Those in places of responsibility, especially in training youth, must first reform self, be united as branches in the true vine under the one head Christ Jesus, be molded after the divine similitude with Christ formed within, and then show perfect love, compassion, tenderness and deep interest toward youth as the property of Jesus Christ, with heart broken before God under the softening subduing influence of Jesus.
To humble self as a little child means to deny self and to be yielding and submissive, and those without this disposition are not in sympathy with Christ and do not know Him by experimental knowledge. The first work to be done in a Christian home is to see that the Spirit of Christ abides there through this self-denying yielding submission, so that every member of the household may take his cross and follow where Jesus leads. Humbling as a little child in this way gives relief and courage and hope. The humbled one goes forward in faith, takes his case to the Lord Jesus in prayer, believes Jesus hears, confesses sins and repents and walks humbly with God, and finds pardon as one whom the Lord has corrected in order to purify and save. From highest to lowest this means confessing sins under the Holy Spirit touching the heart to reveal defects of character and receiving the converting power of God.
One who is wrong, whose influence is bad, and who knows not what manner of spirit he is of must break in pieces before God and become as a little child soon, or be left to himself. It requires turning to the Lord with full purpose of heart, repenting of self-glorying, perversion of righteousness in words and acts, and weakening the hands of ministers, receiving reproof instead of refusing it and building up a wrong course, and being converted in speech and action so dissension and alienation are healed, lest spiritual perceptions become more blinded and lead to judgment and being cast aside for transgressing law, breaking covenant and despising warnings. It requires confessing fault for criticizing others, laying aside wounded dignity, staying faithfully at appointed duty when trouble or false accusation comes instead of withdrawing, meeting false accusation as a Christian should by proving it false by the life, accepting any position that can serve the cause, seeking by devotion and faithfulness to redeem past failings, and in no way dishonoring the Redeemer, and this humble faithfulness wins precious victories. It includes making the confessions needed to clear the soul, by which the Lord can heal the soul's disease and help remove reproach.
Childlike lowliness means refusing to exalt self, seeking to save others, recognizing need for God's help, and remaining learners continually rather than wise in own estimation. It means putting spiritual pride to death and serving Christ with undivided purpose, giving self fully to rescuing souls. It means yielding heart and will wholly to God, which is necessary for the Lord to work through a person and for the church to receive the Holy Spirit. Those who do not exalt themselves but fear God and seek Him become teachable by God and can receive and use heavenly gifts in His service, with greatness expressed in reflecting Christ's life and faithfully serving others rather than in self-sufficiency or human learning. The humblest worker is most useful to God, for the Holy Spirit strengthens him by showing him Jesus, and he can succeed in saving souls where people relying on learning and intellect fail. Received through knowledge of God and Jesus Christ, this humility softens and subdues, expands heart and mind by heavenly love and benevolence, never degrades but refines, keeps a person from becoming coarse or rough or discourteous, prepares him for heaven as dwelling place, leads him to represent Christ in word and deed, to receive wisdom, to advance onward and upward with new hopes and heavenly warmth, makes him eager to communicate the knowledge of God, and binds him to others and to Christ in loving faithful service.
When his followers quarreled on the way about who would hold highest rank, Jesus set a little child in their midst to show that entering his kingdom requires conversion to childlike humility. To be greatest is to be lowliest, meek and teachable, submissive and dependent on God, simple in faith and pure in love, emptied of pride and selfishness. Greatness there is inward excellence of character, purity of motive, mercy and love, not outward position, wealth, learning, talent or display. All striving for supremacy, envy, criticism and contempt of weak and newly believing brethren is therefore forbidden, for what is done to the least is done to Christ himself. Those in responsibility must daily humble themselves, refuse to lord over others, receive correction, forgive, and minister with gentleness, which brings unity and fitness for saving souls.
Setting and Occasion
The disciples fell into dispute by the way over who should be greatest, because they looked for an earthly kingdom and were ambitious for rank within it. Jesus answered by calling a little child and setting him in the midst, teaching that entrance into the kingdom requires conversion and that childlike humility is the condition of belonging to it. His answer rejected self-assertion and striving for supremacy and self-will, and called for humbled hearts that learn lowliness rather than seek position. True greatness in heaven belongs not to whoever gains the highest place but to whoever humbles himself as that little child, following Christ's example as a humble pattern for those entrusted with the gospel.
This took place at Capernaum after He had told them He would be betrayed into the hands of enemies and put to death and rise again, words they did not comprehend while a shadow of sorrow rested upon them. Even then unholy rivalry found place in their hearts, so that He went ahead while they loitered behind in dispute. He read their thoughts, called them to Himself, and asked what they had disputed by the way, then took the child and set him among them to teach conversion and becoming as little children as the condition for entering the kingdom. That lesson condemned pride and ambition and selfishness and love of supremacy and rivalry and following independent judgment, calling instead for the kind and loving nature of Christ, for companionship and close relation as children of God, and for united work in counsel and mutual help. Christ held up the child as the pattern of greatness, not any man as a superior to copy for position, not even Peter or John. To be greatest is to make oneself lowly, teachable, and converted like a child, and that childlike humility both rebukes all striving for supremacy and is required for entrance.
The little child and the little ones mean those who are little in Christ, weak believing brethren with many defects who have not yet gained experience in following Him and seeking the things of the kingdom. They include people newly born into the faith who are still children in experience, and the grasping ambition the disciples showed is unworthy because it gives them a wrong example and can harm them. They are not babies or merely those young in years, but believers little in faith who need to be led and depend on guidance. Such weak brethren are the special charge of angels, and therefore greatness as childlike humility forbids selfishly neglecting, despising, holding in contempt, judging, condemning, discouraging, or unforgivingly exacting upon them, and requires compassion with earnest labor and persevering effort to save the lost.
The whole eighteenth chapter belongs together as practical rules and educating lessons of high and holy principle for daily practical life, to be remembered, obeyed, woven into Christian life, and strictly carried out. When fully carried out it creates a different atmosphere in the family, in the school, and in the church. Its instruction calls for loving God wholly and neighbor as self, and for workers and brethren to love one another as brothers, tenderhearted and compassionate and courteous, and not to draw apart from one another. Each person is to tend and purify his own thoughts rather than fasten upon faults in others, which keeps words from being spoken recklessly to cause harm. Understanding and following these principles with humility and a right spirit toward others is necessary for conduct God can commend, especially for those in responsibility in training youth, who must first reform self, be united as branches in the true vine under the one head Christ Jesus, be molded after the divine similitude with Christ formed within, and then show perfect love and tenderness and deep interest toward youth.
Meaning of Childlike Humility
Whoever lowers himself like a little child is greatest in the kingdom of heaven, for greatness there is measured by such lowliness and not by rank, status, position, outward splendor or authority. Followers, including leaders, must learn submission rather than seek authority before they have learned to obey, since ambition for rank in an earthly kingdom must be changed into the humility essential to entering and belonging to God's kingdom. Those who know and love God and walk humbly before Him are truly great, and doing justly and loving mercy shows a sanctified heart and life. This humility does not strive for supremacy but is meek and lowly rather than lifted up by superiority, for claiming the highest place of honor does not fit a person for the kingdom, and without conversion to become as little children no one can enter it. It leads to serving even those counted inferior, since the least and weakest are valued and service to them counts as service rendered to Christ, while receiving His little ones stands joined to a solemn warning against the serious harm of offending them.
To humble oneself as a little child is to be converted to meekness and lowliness, teachable, yielding, submissive and obedient, dependent on God and on guidance, simple in faith, pure in love, courageous yet trustful, with self under control and emptied of selfishness, pride and self-sufficiency. Like a child the believer eagerly takes Christ's hand, accepts His guidance, and learns His meekness and lowliness, thereby becoming like Christ in spiritual excellence rather than in earthly display, wealth, position or honor. Such willing submission to God's training and discipline keeps a person from giving the enemy advantage, for anxious striving for the highest place ends in the lowest, while walking humbly with God allows Him to use the person for His glory. It means depending on God in helpless dependence, esteeming others above self, not seeking to be first, and turning from the wrong course, with the heart and life guarded from offenses that corrupt or endanger others.
Childlikeness is freedom from guile, hypocrisy, selfishness and unkindness, a change from the natural selfish character through Christ abiding in the heart. It appears in lowly self-knowledge before God, in losing identity in Jesus Christ, in not talking of self and not vindicating self, in thinking little of self and exalting Jesus most, and in willingness to be least of all and servant of all. All pride must perish, all jealousy be overcome, and all ambition for supremacy be given up, while the meekness and trust of the child are encouraged through daily cultivation of humility and childlike simplicity by renewal in the spirit of the mind, learning Christ's meekness and lowliness and wearing His yoke. Those who humble themselves in this way find Christ their rock of defense and strong tower, in whom they may trust implicitly and who will never fail them, for without this spirit life is not hid with Christ in God, and self-importance stands exactly opposite to His meekness and lowliness.
This humility is not shown by literally crawling or creeping on the floor, but by a dignified, Christlike life of gentleness, readiness to help others, kind words and unselfish acts. Its pattern is seen in Jesus Christ, the Majesty of heaven, who humbled Himself to take weak, sinful human nature, battle the powers of darkness, and at the cost of His own life rescue a fallen race. By overcoming sin He opened the way so that everyone who receives Him as Saviour may also overcome, and that same simplicity and humility is to be manifest among all the children of God.
Coming as a little child means trusting God as a child trusts an earthly father, believing every word He speaks and living in the simplicity of true godliness. This humble dependence and trust draws the heart near to God, makes the walk more secure, and leaves no place for self-sufficiency, since strength comes wholly from God through such trust. By it the heart recognizes and resists temptation, and by casting the helpless soul upon the Saviour, Christ becomes righteousness, sanctification, and power to reach others with messages of truth. Even children's humble, trusting response in coming forward seeking salvation, wishing to follow Christ, overcome temptation and belong to His kingdom, shows this first step of faith giving strength for further steps.
Entering and Being Great
No one who exalts himself can enter the kingdom, for entrance requires conversion and becoming as little children, and humility like a little child is essential to entering, belonging to God’s kingdom and being fit for it. This humility is part of the converted spirit required of Christ’s subjects, especially needed among workers in positions of trust, and without it a person cannot be a laborer together with God but will lose the soul and never see the kingdom. Christ holds up a child as the pattern for greatness, not any man as a superior to copy for position, not even Peter, and to be greatest is to make oneself lowly, teachable and converted like a child, which rebukes all striving for supremacy and all ambition and judgmental treatment that offends and harms believers. Those who humble themselves are to walk humbly with God, hide the life in Christ, serve in humble places rather than seek distinction or a higher place of honor, and thus become receptive to Christ’s influence.
In the spiritual kingdom greatness is not rank, status, position, outward splendor, authority, earthly display, wealth, honor, learning, numbers, talents or self-exaltation, but inward spiritual excellence, spiritual purity, excellence of speech, meekness, mercy, justice and the love of God. It is shown in doing justly, loving mercy and walking humbly before God, which is the sanctified heart and life, and it forbids all striving for supremacy while requiring ever learning from Christ by partaking of His spirit and principles in submission and obedience. The child illustrates that excellence as a submissive spirit that eagerly takes Christ’s hand, accepts His guidance, learns His meekness and lowliness, receives as a little child the lessons given by the Teacher, obeys every word proceeding from His mouth, and becomes like Christ. Men must be truly converted, with natural defects of disposition changed for the virtues of Christ’s character, becoming humble, charitable, kind and merciful, loving for His sake all who believe in Him and exerting a Christlike influence, else they will never enter the kingdom. True happiness consists in a pure clean heart cleansed by obedience to the truth, with a disposition to treat men firmly and generously, forgiving injuries instead of avenging them, and showing Christlike love for the men through whom the Lord has wrought as the manifestation of real transformation of character.
God measures greatness by purity of motive, beauty of character and His likeness and Spirit present in the life, not by wealth, education or position, and greatness consists in becoming like a little child in humility, simplicity of faith and purity of love. Those who know and love God and walk humbly before Him, who know Christ whom He sent and love Him as they love God, are truly great, and doing justly, loving mercy and walking humbly is the unfailing evidence of true religion and sanctification of heart, life and character and the test of those chosen and precious. Holding first place as rulers and teachers in the visible church does not make anyone great, and in time those who have not put on Christ will be revealed by their words, spirit and character.
Those striving for position and seeking to be greatest will be called least, while those who become little in their own eyes, depend on God in weakness and walk humbly like children will be first, and the first will be last. Christ impressed this by calling a little child and setting him in the midst, teaching that conversion to childlike humility is required to enter the kingdom. In the last days ambitious self-esteem, self-confidence and exercising of the spirit to exalt self is too broad for the narrow path and strait gate, proves eternal ruin, and, worked by satanic agencies, reveals hereditary and cultivated defects that place persons in the very lowest scale when weighed in the golden scales of the heavenly sanctuary, whereas he who abides in Christ, crucified to the world and dependent on Christ, understands childlike humility and as an overcomer will be highly exalted.
No selfish, rough or unkind person will be in God’s family in heaven to mar its peace and harmony, and no one who exalts self in his work in this world will see the kingdom of God unless changed in spirit to childlike meekness, sincerity and simplicity through love and grace. Only those who humble themselves with the meekness, lowliness and simplicity of a little child are great in the kingdom and ready for the mansions of bliss Jesus has gone to prepare for those preparing themselves through His love and grace, and only those thus transformed are fitted for the society of heaven and the abodes of bliss and the society of the pure and holy. Few will humble themselves in this way, for they must give up pride, desire for supremacy and self-reliance, receive Christ’s grace with a lasting sense of unworthiness, and cease striving to be first.
Heaven’s reward is given by grace rather than earned by greatness, wisdom, status, learning, numbers, talents or self-exaltation, so even the weakest and humblest may receive it through simple faith, obedience and following Christ. Even brief service and humble work are not barriers when done in simple faith and love while following Christ, and the childlike humility of those who approach God in faith is pictured by the everlasting portals opening to a child’s trembling touch. Sitting at the feet of Jesus who is meek and lowly of heart in humility causes the name to stand registered in the books of heaven as great in the sight of God, while praise of men and large sums of money spent to exalt self do not exalt a person one iota in His sight. Unless transformed through the grace of Christ with entire surrender and consecration to be a doer of the word and not a hearer only, the name will not be found upon the records of heaven, because all work corrupted with self is wasted and unacceptable.
Rejecting Rivalry and Contempt
Whoever humbles himself as a little child is greatest in the kingdom of heaven, and that measure forbids all striving for supremacy, rank, mastery and self-exaltation among believers. Self-seeking, self-will and self-sufficiency are condemned, including standing back on dignity when judgment and capabilities are not appreciated, taking satisfaction in the deficiencies of brethren, and letting self interpose between the soul and God as a great hindrance to spirituality. No man is set up as a superior to copy for position, not even Peter or John, but a child is held up as the pattern, and true greatness comes from becoming lowly, teachable, submissive and converted like a child. Followers, including leaders and workers in positions of trust, must therefore learn submission and obedience rather than seek authority before they have learned to obey, humbling their hearts and learning instead of disputing who shall be greatest. Ambition and judgmental treatment of believers offend and harm them, violating the converted spirit required of Christ's subjects.
Inward, concealed and manifest striving of this kind, with envy, jealousy, dissension, self-esteem, strife to be highly esteemed by men, criticism and faultfinding, grieves the Spirit of the Saviour and hinders the work. Those who ought to be a blessing are turned into a curse that retards instead of advances the work, and until this unsanctified element is cleansed from the soul temple the Lord cannot manifest His power and grace through His workers. Meekness and humility must therefore be continually cherished to possess the spirit of Christ, with tenderness and forbearance toward erring people rather than readiness to criticize or condemn them. This lesson applies to all professed Christians and to all workers in the cause of God.
Criticism and faultfinding of this sort is expressly the devil's work. It began in the heavenly courts when he sought sympathy, claimed he could do wonderful things if not hampered by the law of Jehovah, and suggested a change in the government of God for the advantage of the heavenly family. He put his own thoughts in the minds of angels and then repeated them to the highest Authority, covering his tracks while sowing suspicion and distrust of God and of one another, until rebellion had to be met by God's decision and the disloyal were expelled from heaven with the instigator for the good of the loyal and true. The verse thus traces the cause of disaffection and its evil consequences.
Those who have educated and trained themselves as habitual debaters must be converted to humble themselves as a little child in order to be greatest in the kingdom of heaven. The habitual debater beclouds evidence and turns Scripture from its true meaning to win a point, combats and cavils at God's inspired Word over everything not in harmony with his own ideas, lives ready for battle to question and criticize, and plays upon words, misinterprets and misstates until nothing is safe in his hands. To be changed from that combative condition is to become simple, meek, teachable and Christlike, with rugged traits of character softened by the power of God so as to be susceptible to the influence of truth and to look upon the Word of God with reverence as sacred. Without humbling the heart before God in this childlike spirit, rather than confiding in one's own wisdom, no worker can share Christ's throne or enter heaven's kingdom.
The whole chapter is to be read and searched to trace out the cause of disaffection and its evil consequences. It gives light that makes known the reason for difficulties among believers.
Tenderness Toward the Lowly
Christ regards even the least and feeblest whom He purchased and ransomed with His own blood with deep personal interest, so that whatever is done for them is counted as done for Himself. The angels who have access to Him and live in constant communion with Him gladly and willingly minister to the poor and needy who most need help, and for that reason His servants should willingly minister to those they suppose inferior to themselves rather than seeking greatness by rank or status. True greatness in His spiritual kingdom is inward excellence, and those who know and love God and walk humbly before Him are truly great, shown in doing justly, loving mercy, and serving those regarded as inferior instead of striving for position, outward splendor, authority, or supremacy.
The little child and the little ones are little children in Christ, not those young in years, meaning weak believing brethren with many defects and objectionable traits who have not yet gained experience, including those newly born into the faith, who are the special charge of angels. They are to be received, and believers must not selfishly neglect, despise, hold in contempt, judge, condemn, unforgivingly exact upon, discourage, harm, or cause them to stumble, since offending them brings serious harm. Ambition and a judgmental spirit among workers in positions of trust violate the converted, childlike spirit required of Christ's subjects, and instead of words or actions that harm, there must be compassion, earnest labor, and persevering effort to save that which is lost.
Those who love and serve God are to be treated not as servants but as precious people, with kindness, tenderness, love, and affection. Workers in particular are to be treated with the same care and tenderness owed to the child whom Christ placed among the disciples as the pattern.
Humbling oneself with the submissive, teachable spirit of a little child is a personal work of the heart that no one else can do for another, requiring self-sufficiency to be seen for what it is under the Holy Spirit and every person from highest to lowest to confess sin as the heart is touched to reveal defects of character and receive converting power. Christians are to be gentle rather than strive for the highest place, and failure to cultivate that childlike submission leads to dissension and strife. Where this humility is present there is unity, with all standing shoulder to shoulder in perfect accord, so that things that appeared as insurmountable difficulties disappear and a firm, steady, forward and upward movement becomes possible. Applied to God's work, those who want a better state of things must stop brooding over past errors and in love help strengthen one another to prevent errors in the future.
Holding first place as rulers and teachers in the visible church does not make anyone great, for the truly great are those who know God and love Him and know Christ whom He sent and love Him as they love God, while those who have not put on Christ will in time be revealed by words, spirit, and character. To do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly before God is the unfailing evidence of true religion and of sanctification of heart, life, and character, and it is the test of those who are chosen and precious.
Daily Life and Service
Greatness in heaven belongs to the one who humbles himself like a little child rather than seeking supremacy, and this converted spirit is especially required of workers in positions of trust. For those who handle sacred things in ministry, conference leadership and medical work, true greatness is daily humbling of self before God. That means putting aside a selfish unholy spirit, high ideas of capability, envy, jealousy and imagined grievance, ceasing to withdraw to labor alone, taking self in hand, and accepting reprimand and discipline by the Word. It means receiving and practicing the lessons of Christ as learners in His school before attempting to preach, attending faithfully to duty as though personally hearing the Saviour's voice, walking humbly with God in obedience, and refusing mastery over others. Without this daily humbling a man is unfit to preach and his work comes forth defective, and if he persists he will be left to himself in a most severe experience.
Childlike humility forbids claiming leadership or credit for work built through others' labor and sacrifice, and forbids controlling or dominating others. Those in responsibility must not act as rulers or lords over God's heritage, dictate to brethren, control consciences, judge or condemn, but must give wise counsel, reject selfishness, and set an example others can safely follow. Their conduct must not be impatient, boastful or overbearing, for that dishonors Christ and endangers the work. A leader must have a softened, subdued spirit of meekness and lowliness from genuine conversion rather than rule harshly or domineeringly. Harsh domineering rule like a schoolmaster ruling pupils arouses the worst passions of the heart, creates bitterness and strife, leads others to follow the same example, and makes truth distasteful instead of leading people to desire it, while gentleness and tenderness and grace in voice and words, learning how to deal with minds, and guarding against rash impulsive harsh speech that injures speaker and hearers belong to filling a position acceptably, even as president of a conference, without thinking office gives liberty to rule or to embrace too much. As long as a person seeks the Lord earnestly and humbles himself before God as a little child, God will use him to His glory, but self-sufficiency is the opposite of this humility, and when a minister dictates in a masterly manner as though reading hearts and claiming prerogative to praise or censure at pleasure, Satan has mind and heart under control and the Lord is not working with him.
For teachers this humility means conversion from passion, harshness and arbitrary action, putting away the iron satanic spirit whatever it costs, as hard as severing an arm, letting the spirit that prompts harshness die out of heart and church, and letting love and tenderness and forbearance come in. In mind and spirit the teacher must become as a little child and put himself on the child's level to be a proper instructor, understanding that the child's trials are greater to the child than adult trials are to adults. Correction must never be sudden seizure and shaking or bruising, which bruises the teacher's own soul more and destroys manhood, but taking the child alone, praying and talking, showing the will of Christ, and binding the child to the heart, dealing with human minds as tenderly as Christ has dealt. The child is an object lesson for parents to treat children with Christlike gentleness, value their souls, and avoid harsh words or painful discipline and forcing the will upon them. Those in places of responsibility, especially in training youth, must first reform self, be united as branches in the true vine under the one head Christ Jesus, be molded after the divine similitude with Christ formed within, and then show perfect love, compassion, tenderness and deep interest toward youth as the property of Jesus Christ, with heart broken before God under the softening subduing influence of Jesus.
To humble self as a little child means to deny self and to be yielding and submissive, and those without this disposition are not in sympathy with Christ and do not know Him by experimental knowledge. The first work to be done in a Christian home is to see that the Spirit of Christ abides there through this self-denying yielding submission, so that every member of the household may take his cross and follow where Jesus leads. Humbling as a little child in this way gives relief and courage and hope. The humbled one goes forward in faith, takes his case to the Lord Jesus in prayer, believes Jesus hears, confesses sins and repents and walks humbly with God, and finds pardon as one whom the Lord has corrected in order to purify and save. From highest to lowest this means confessing sins under the Holy Spirit touching the heart to reveal defects of character and receiving the converting power of God.
One who is wrong, whose influence is bad, and who knows not what manner of spirit he is of must break in pieces before God and become as a little child soon, or be left to himself. It requires turning to the Lord with full purpose of heart, repenting of self-glorying, perversion of righteousness in words and acts, and weakening the hands of ministers, receiving reproof instead of refusing it and building up a wrong course, and being converted in speech and action so dissension and alienation are healed, lest spiritual perceptions become more blinded and lead to judgment and being cast aside for transgressing law, breaking covenant and despising warnings. It requires confessing fault for criticizing others, laying aside wounded dignity, staying faithfully at appointed duty when trouble or false accusation comes instead of withdrawing, meeting false accusation as a Christian should by proving it false by the life, accepting any position that can serve the cause, seeking by devotion and faithfulness to redeem past failings, and in no way dishonoring the Redeemer, and this humble faithfulness wins precious victories. It includes making the confessions needed to clear the soul, by which the Lord can heal the soul's disease and help remove reproach.
Childlike lowliness means refusing to exalt self, seeking to save others, recognizing need for God's help, and remaining learners continually rather than wise in own estimation. It means putting spiritual pride to death and serving Christ with undivided purpose, giving self fully to rescuing souls. It means yielding heart and will wholly to God, which is necessary for the Lord to work through a person and for the church to receive the Holy Spirit. Those who do not exalt themselves but fear God and seek Him become teachable by God and can receive and use heavenly gifts in His service, with greatness expressed in reflecting Christ's life and faithfully serving others rather than in self-sufficiency or human learning. The humblest worker is most useful to God, for the Holy Spirit strengthens him by showing him Jesus, and he can succeed in saving souls where people relying on learning and intellect fail. Received through knowledge of God and Jesus Christ, this humility softens and subdues, expands heart and mind by heavenly love and benevolence, never degrades but refines, keeps a person from becoming coarse or rough or discourteous, prepares him for heaven as dwelling place, leads him to represent Christ in word and deed, to receive wisdom, to advance onward and upward with new hopes and heavenly warmth, makes him eager to communicate the knowledge of God, and binds him to others and to Christ in loving faithful service.