Who Is the Greatest?

Who Is the Greatest?

“At this time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, ‘Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Matt. 18:1.

By nature, we have an innate desire to be great—preferably the greatest. Of course it is the honor that is attached to it that draws and entices. This sinful lust is accompanied by much sin and wretchedness, and it is vital to find the right help for this consuming need.

People do things in this imagined greatness they would not do if they had been awake and kept their place. They despise their neighbor; they look down on and judge others. They exalt themselves and think, speak, and act in order to be more prominent and noticed, hoping to gain honor and recognition. They live restlessly, anxiously wondering what others think and believe about them. They enjoy praise, and flattery, abandoning themselves to their desire for the honor of men.

What did Jesus answer? Well, “Jesus called a little child to Him and set him in the midst of them, and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, and whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.” Matt. 18:2-5.

Jesus said, “Whoever humbles himself . . . .” We must go in a downward direction. What can we do on the heights when Jesus Himself had to walk in the valley?

He who humbles himself will be exalted.

Here we need to have eyes with which to see and ears with which to hear, so that we have the proper attitude in life. If we are to become like Jesus, we have to go the same way. He humbled Himself by coming in the likeness of men; and then He humbled Himself again by taking the form of a servant. This must be revealed to the individual by faith.

“And He turned to His disciples and said privately, ‘Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see; for I tell you that many prophets and kings have desired to see what you see, and have not seen it, and to hear what you hear, and have not heard it.’” Luke 10:23-24.

God can reveal it to some, but not to others. We read this in 1 Corinthians 3:1-2: “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able . . . .”

They were baptized with the Holy Spirit and had received gifts, and now they were full. They were babes in Christ, but they had already become lords in the flesh. A continuing hunger for what Christ had to give them would have opened their eyes and ears to the voice and promptings of the Spirit, and they would have seen the truth about themselves and could have sung with the composer of these lyrics: “Show me the depth of corruption in me.”

But they could not bear to hear it because they were not prepared to go that way by faith and did not realize that the way went downward together with all of their natural self.

Therefore blessed is he who sees and who hears the Spirit’s voice and acts accordingly. The way is open; make use of it, and you will have every opportunity to be great in God’s kingdom.