October 18 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading:

Matthew 18:1-14

¹At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
²And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,
³And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
⁴Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
⁵And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.
⁶But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
⁷Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!
⁸Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.
⁹And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.
¹⁰Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.
¹¹For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.
¹²How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?
¹³And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.
¹⁴Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.

Devotional:

In vaulting ambition the disciples inquired of Jesus, 'Who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?' Jesus called a child and set him in their midst Then He preached a sermon on humility, emphasizing the need of turning from sin and demonstrating a child-like faith. Such an attitude of heart, He told them, is one of the evidences of being born again.

'Whoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.' The humility which Jesus Himself showed in being born as a man and in enduring the cross, He asks us to display. This humility which is characteristic of a child will yield honor in heaven. The man who is humble before God will be called great in heaven.

Even now, Jesus tells us, the angels which God has assigned to the special guardianship of the children of His love are looking upon the face of the heavenly Father. One eye, we might say, is on the child to protect him from harm and one eye is upon the Father to beseech His aid. God in His grace has made special provision for the children of His love.

It is not the will or pleasure of God 'that one of these little ones should perish.' How precious is this to the parent! And how illuminating it is to glimpse this aspect of God who delights in humility and who honors the humble!