18 About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”

² Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. ³ Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. ⁴ So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

⁵ “And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me. ⁶ But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.

⁷ “What sorrow awaits the world, because it tempts people to sin. Temptations are inevitable, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting. ⁸ So if your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one hand or one foot than to be thrown into eternal fire with both of your hands and feet. ⁹ And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.

¹⁰ “Beware that you don’t look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father.

¹² “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? ¹³ And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that didn’t wander away! ¹⁴ In the same way, it is not my heavenly Father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish.

Matthew 18:1-14

Dear God, when I first read this passage this morning, it made me wonder where this question came from. Why did they ask about a heavenly pecking order?

I went back to chapter 17 and found that this story was preceded by the Transfiguration as well as the church leaders challenging Peter about Jesus paying the church tax. I wonder if this story has more to do with the Transfiguration. Were they wondering why it was Moses and Elijah and not Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, David, Isaiah, etc.? I mean, Moses and Elijah are as big as it gets, I suppose, but Elisha was pretty great too and seemingly had less failures. I guess they were trying to make sense of it all.

Then there’s the way Jesus turns this question away from who is greatest and starts focusing on the treachery of causing others to sin–especially children. By teaching bad things. Offering bad options. Luring into bad actions. Then he makes this odd connection between the angels of the children and your presence.

Father, help me to be a source of truth and wholesomeness to the children in m life. Help me to teach well about your and who you are. Help me to respect all. When I’m sharing tonight with the men from Christian Men’s Life Skills, I pray that you will be with each of us. Guide us. Love us. Draw each of us closer to yourself.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen