God's upside down Kingdom

Luke 9:47-48

But Jesus, knowing the thoughts of their hearts, had a little child stand beside Him. And He said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in My name welcomes Me, and whoever welcomes Me welcomes the One who sent Me. For whoever is the least among all of you, he is the greatest.”

Anyone old enough to remember the boxer Cassius Clay (Muhammed Ali) will recall his constant assertion "I am the greatest".

There is something beating in the human heart that always wants to achieve top dog status - to push itself to the fore and dominate.

As the old nursery rhyme says it:

"I'm the king of the castle, you're the dirty rascal"!

God's Kingdom is just the reverse!

As the disciples argued among themselves about who was the greatest, Jesus turned everything on its head - the greatest is the least!

To be great you must be a humble servant.

Take for instance Jesus washing his disciples' feet (not a nice job in a hot, sweaty, dusty, sandal-wearing land) - a task usually reserved for the lowliest servant.

Then He said that His followers must do the same.

It doesn't mean we should go round with a bowl and towel in hand getting folk to take off their shoes!

However, it does mean that we mustn't be too proud to wait on people. To serve is to be great in God's Kingdom.

To be first you must be willing to be the last.

I recall my "Uncle" Horace, quite a famous missionary and Bible translator, when he was staying with us, waiting on me when I came home from work. He had made our tea and even baked a superb apple pie. Then he said: 'sit down I want to serve it to you."

That act, more than any sermon he preached or song he sang, spoke to me of Jesus.

After a hard day at work it was something so refreshing to my soul. I've never forgotten it.

Jesus said that even a cup of cold water given in love will not go unrewarded.

Be willing to take the back seat and serve and you are truly being like our precious Saviour.

Thought

"How can I "wash someone's feet" today?"