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As A Child

You know, it seems an inherent part of human nature to want to be, and to know, who’s number one – the number one team, the number one song, the number one movie, number one, number one, etc. We are obsessed with number one and who’s the greatest. But what I want to know, and I think you too, is: If heaven is casting their votes for number one, who is it, and how do we qualify?

Walking along the road through the Galilee, on the way to Capernaum, the disciples of Jesus had gotten into an earnest discussion, if you will, about who was the greatest among them. {Mark 9:34 JST).

Now, I don’t know whether they were jockeying for their own position or for that of their fellows, but either way, they were disputing about who was number one among them. Perhaps it was spawned by the successes and failures they had experienced with their recently acquired priesthood authority.

Well, they arrived at Capernaum, they walked into the house, and Jesus asked them, “…Why was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?” (Mark 9:33 JST). They didn’t answer. They knew instantly that He knew perfectly what they had disputed about, and that their vain attempts to be first were foolish. They were embarrassed. Without them saying a word, Jesus sat down and called the Twelve around Him. “… If any man desire to be first,” He said, “the same shall be last of all and servant of all.“ (Mark 9:35).

In other words, those people considered number one by God are those who live to honor and help others, not those with an arrogant sense of entitlement, who believe they should be so served, who are arrogantly number one, and want to declare it.

Now having said that, Jesus then stood, walked over, picked up a small child, and while holding that little one in His arms, He sat down again among the Twelve.

“… Except ye be converted,” He said, “and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Whosoever, therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.” (Matthew 18:3-4).

Well, there you have it. To be number one in Heaven, I must first become like a little child, humble myself – in other words, come down off my Olympic Pedestal, let go of my concern about who is number one, and make all men my equals. As long as I think I’m better, it is a given in Heaven that I’m not. I am greatest with God when I treat all men with respect and kindness.

Now, competition wants to know who is better, who’s the star, who’s number one. But when competition fills our hearts, all of us lose. After all, when we look ahead, what will it matter if all the world thinks we’re number one, if all the world idolizes us as a star, and we lose our place in the sun later?