Matthew 18:1-5
The Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven
1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
2 He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. 3 And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.
1 John 2:28-29
Children of God
28 And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.
29 If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him.
Matthew 20:16
First Will Be Last
16"So the last will be first, and the first will be last."
Jesus says that whoever takes a lowly position, like a little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven...And whoever welcomes a little child, welcomes our LORD...He says something somewhat similar, I think, when He says the first will be last and the last will be first...Those of those in this low or lowly position, the last -will be first in His kingdom...
When we are a baby we are incapable of taking care of ourselves...When we become and a little older, but are still very young and only a "little one", we expect (as it should be) everything to come from our father...We need our daily bread, and we get that from a providing father...We have other needs and those also come from a comforting, loving father who sees we are incapable of taking care of ourselves and is there...St. John refers to his readers as children, dear children of God...St. John wants us to recognize, we have a providing Father...He is a comforting and loving Father...We should expect these things from our Father, as a little child expects the necessary things from his Father...