Matthew 18:1-9
The Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven
1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"
2 He called a little child and had him stand among them. 3 And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5 "And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. 6 But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
7 "Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come! 8 If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.
When I look back to when I was younger, I realize that I did not understand too much of anything...I really did not know much of anything about life or what was going to happen or not happen...I think I did dream a lot about what might and could happen...But what I thought about life then was and is not life has came to be and pass...Yet, Jesus gives us this story about children...He called a little child and had him stand among His Disciples...And He said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven...Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven..."And whoever welcomes a little child like this in My name welcomes Me...But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea..."Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin!..Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come!..If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away...It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire...And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away...It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell...
I also as a little child did not know to much about sin and sinning, and if I did, I not give it much thought...I do not remembering my soul thinking about Jesus...I was much depending on my parents...I think life is much simpler for the little child...Life was more carefree then, with fewer worries...And Jesus tells us that we are to change and become like little children again, or we will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven...Little children do not desire fame...Little children do not have many thoughts on greatness...They think little of wealth...They do not have to be in an authoritative position, and be up at the top of the career ladder...The little child knows just what is going on around him...So the little child is simple and close to the here and now...The little one maybe sees clearer in this simpler way, than the adult in his mature ways...The child is naive and humble, while growing older seems to add doubt and adds hesitation to our lives, yet decreases amazement...As a child I was curious to learn about many things...The young mind is open to many things...It seems looking back, like it is an easier time to learn and believe things...A child sees the mystery of God around him...The child believes what he believes and sees his beliefs as real...The adult thinks about the mystery of God and ponders over it...