"and whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. but if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea."
matthew 18:5-6
the disciples just don't get it, do they? at this point they have heard countless teachings and witnesses several miracles. they have walked and talked with Jesus, experienced the very essence of who he is and what he is about. yet here they are asking Jesus who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven (the account found in mark 9:33-37 reveals that Jesus asked them what they had been talking about - he must have overheard them arguing). they are still distracted by power and greatness, rather than grasping that the kingdom of God is a kingdom of service. Jesus himself came to serve. so Jesus brings in a child as a prop. he tells them that unless the become like this child, they will not even look at the kingdom let alone enter it and be "great" among it. he adds that whoever humbles himself like this child will be the great in the kingdom of heaven.
we still don't really get it, do we? we have the entire bible in front of us as an example - we don't have to make the same mistakes - but as soon as we walk away we fall back into the same habit. we want to have power. we want to be great. instead of seeking places of service, we seek positions of advantage. i am not just talking about in the "secular" world; we do it in the church. i will be the first to admit it.
as a youth group leader, i am involved in the lives of dozens of high school students. even when i was in college, before i came back home to new jersey, i knew that i eventually wanted to get involved in this ministry. i looked around and thought about many of my friends and noticed something - many of them seemed to be drifting further in their faith then when i first met them freshman year. i would dare say that some of them probably wouldn't even consider themselves Christians at this point. it saddened me as many of them had been in leadership positions when they were in high school - either in their youth groups or schools or churches. i decided that i wanted to become part of the discipleship phase of high school students before they headed to college (i think part of me foolishly thought that i could "fix" this problem and help grow high school Christians into strong college Christians).
i lose sight of this goal, even if it is idealistic. too often i let my role as a youth leader become about me, when it is really all about them. i act selfishly, seeking approval and acceptance, looking for positions of advantage instead of humbly and selflessly seeking a place of service. i let silly things get in the way of me serving them as best as i can. i become childish, rather than childlike.
Jesus gives a strong warning. whoever causes a child to stumble in their faith would be better off drowning in the sea. this is not a joke. my role as a youth group leader should not be taken lightly. God may use me to be a fork in the road. i must do everything i possibly can (through service, not power) to help guide them towards the road that leads to Jesus. i don't have to have a certain ability, i don't have to be somebody i am not. "i just have to be faithful to let God communicate his love and grace in me and through me."
Lord, give me a childlike faith that is not concerned with power or approval, but whose strength comes from enjoying being loved by you and having a simple heart of trust in you.
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