Matthew 18:1-9

You can’t study these verses without Matthew 5:3-10 in the back of your mind.  In those verses, known usually as the Beatitudes, set the stage for Matthew 18:1-9 by reminding us that what Jesus says here in chapter 18 is not new.  This is not the first time Jesus has turned the values of the world upside-down.

In Matthew 5, Jesus said “Blessed are the meek…blessed are the pure in heart….”  I can’t imagine that here, when he tells the disciples that they need to be more like little children, that he means something a whole lot different.

What Jesus is saying is that the things to which the world typically ascribes the most value are relatively value-less in His kingdom.  But children—weak, uneducated, in-the-way, non-contributors to society, lowly—have value.  In fact, they should be our example.  Why is that?

It’s probably for several reasons, but let’s talk about a couple.  First, I think that Jesus is giving value to those people who are otherwise relatively value-less (as value relates to contribution to society, not inherent value by way of being human; first century Jews did not value children as viable contributors or citizens of worth, though they were loved and respected as human beings) because He is highlighting the fact that what makes them important is not what they bring to the table but what God makes out of them.

The importance, value, contribution of children is, in and of themselves, nothing.  But, as Paul would write later, God’s power is made perfect in human weakness (2 Cor. 12:9).  The value of children in the kingdom of God is a lack of ego.  Pride so often gets in the way of God’s purposes.  When we think that by our power we change the world, or by our power we can change our own lives, or by our power we can build the church, we are severely mistaken.  But if we were to change and become more like little children, pride would necessarily be taken out of the equation because we would know—as would everyone around us—that we are entirely incapable of anything that significant.

Secondly, as made clear by Matthew 18:7-9, Jesus gives value to the otherwise value-less children because of their inherent innocence.  His discussion in verses 7-9 of sin, its consequences, and the lengths to which we should go to avoid are at least sobering and at most terrifying.  Sin is to be avoided at any and every cost.  It is never worth it.  And if we were to become more like children—to return to innocence—then we would be greater in the kingdom.

Further, in verses 5-6, Jesus talks about the consequences for someone taking part in the removal of innocence from a child.  It is not just of value while it lasts on its own, but innocence is of value eternally.  And because of the value Jesus places on innocence for those who would enter the kingdom of heaven, He is able to say, “You know what?  Why don’t you just become like little kids.  You think you’re so grown up, like you’ve got it all figured out.  But if you really want to see what I’m all about, look at kids.  They don’t have 40 hour/week jobs, they don’t make thousands of dollars, they don’t work hard and change the economic climate.  Even better, they haven’t had some of the…experiences you’ve had.  They haven’t watched the things you have.  Be like that.”

The problem, though, is obvious—once we grow up, we can’t be kids again.  We can’t go back.  We can’t un-grow-up.  We can’t get rid of those stains on our past that robbed us of our innocence.  We can’t undo the sin we’ve done.  We can’t just close our eyes, think really hard, and stop being prideful.  We can’t stop thinking that value has to do with how useful someone is.  That’s a problem.  Jesus says to change and be like little children.  Well I have bad news for you, Jesus.  We can’t.

We can’t…until God went to drastic measures to make it possible.

And if you listen closely, you can hear Jesus still calling us to change and be like little children.  And I know it seems impossible, but if you listen a little longer, you can hear Him say, “Come over here, to the foot of the cross.  Anything is possible here.”


Ben Cross