Religion & Spirituality
AS human beings, we struggle with a deep desire to be the best. We compare ourselves to others in all kinds of ways: sports, music, money, careers, etc. We are always striving to be on top. This is what we think greatness looks like. Jesus takes this desire we have to be great and completely redirects it. Instead of focusing on being "great", Jesus focuses on living as children. In our Gospel Lesson for today Jesus says, “unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3). When it comes to our everyday lives, we often like to think of ourselves as mature adults, independent and able to take charge of our lives. A child, though, is one who is totally dependent on their parents for of all life. When it comes to being a child of faith, our sinful nature struggles to come before God empty-handed, always wanting to contribute something to our salvation. It is this sinful pride and self-reliance that broke our relationship with our Heavenly Father. In order to restore that relationship, Jesus, the only-begotten Son of God, endured the punishment we deserved as He suffered and died on the Cross. As surely as He rose from the dead and now lives with His Father, we too now live as forgiven and loved children of the heavenly Father and partakers of the kingdom of heaven!