Today, we are still looking at the Kingdom of God, but we are shifting our thinking to the attitude necessary for ministering in the Kingdom.
 
There is no doubt that humility is to be a mark of greatness in the life of a person. The disciples were definitely struggling with that.
 
Matthew 18:1–4 (ESV)
1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them 3 and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
 
If we are honest, most of us deep inside would like to think that we have made a mark in this world, to think that we are significant to others.  This is true in Kingdom life as well.  The well-meaning disciples were hoping to be a part of something larger than themselves.  They wanted to be “somebody” in the Kingdom.
 
As crazy as it may seem, these immature, yet to grow up spiritually, men were arguing like children. And so, Jesus uses a child to correct their thinking. At first, He changes the subject from “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom?” to “How do we get into the Kingdom?” The entry into the Kingdom is through the ways of a child.  A child lives in dependency and in trust.  As a child, we must depend upon Christ’s power and we must trust in Christ Himself as our caretaker.
 
Then, Jesus stresses the greatest characteristic of a child: humility.  Only a humble person can reflect genuine greatness.
 
Tomorrow, we discover what greatness looks like.