即使是門徒也有自我。隱藏在以下問題背後的心理癥結顯然就是自我中心：「誰是天國裡最大的？」像你、我一樣，他們一定也希望聽見耶穌說：「我實實在在的說，就是你。」即使我們謙卑的接受了，私底下我們也會因自己有特殊的地位而沾沾自喜。耶穌如往常一樣出乎他們意料的將一個小孩帶來站在他們中間，然後說：「你們若不變成小孩子的樣式，斷不得進天國。凡自己謙卑像這小孩子的，他在天國裡就是最大的。凡為我的名接待一個像這小孩子的，就是接待我。」

         叫一個大人退回去作孩童？這真是件不可思議的事。耶穌的重點是什麼呢？很簡單──孩子會承認權威。一個孩子永遠在學習，且有大人所缺乏的無窮熱誠、純真、及可塑性。耶穌繼續說，任何人使一個小孩絆倒就有禍了。撒但的禍更大，因牠激發人犯罪。

         耶穌接著轉變主題，對祂的門徒說，如果他們的手、或他們的腳、或他們的眼睛叫他們犯罪，他們就應該把它砍下來或剜出來，免得犯罪。

         耶穌當然不是期望一群四肢不全的門徒來跟從祂。祂經常是用誇張的說法來強調祂的重點。這裡耶穌的重點很清楚：罪是一件很嚴重的事。就像一個心地潔白無瑕的小孩一樣，我們也應帶著那種純真來就近天國──不是出於自義的純真，而是完全相信耶穌基督為我們的救主。

         我們像一個小孩子一樣來到您面前──滿懷謙卑、受教的心及信任。天父，請將我們願意順服的生命放在您手中，並塑造我們成為您兒子的模樣。奉主耶穌基督聖名，阿們！

English

         Even the disciples had egos. This must have been at the root of their question, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Like you and me, they would want to hear Jesus say, “Frankly, in all honesty, you are.” And even as we humbly accepted it, we would be privately growing, with smug joy at our special status. Well, Jesus characteristically surprised them all. He brought a little child, stood him among them and said, “You must become like a child or you’ll never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever welcomes a little this in My name, welcomes Me.”

         The last thing an adult would expect is to be told to regress to childhood. What’s the point? It is simply this – a child recognizes authority. A child is forever learning, has a boundless enthusiasm, innocence, and malleability that an adult just doesn’t possess. And Jesus goes on to say that anyone who misleads a child in going to be in big trouble. More than that, Satan’s going to be in big trouble because of the stimulus he has provided to sin in mankind.

         Jesus then turns to His disciples, changing pace somewhat, and says that if their foot or their hand or their eye causes then to sin, they should cut it off or gouge it out, or somehow maim themselves in order to avoid sinning.

         Certainly, Jesus is not expecting a bunch of disfigured and dismembered disciples to be following Him about. He is, as He often does, using exaggeration for the sake of emphasis, but the point He’s making is clear. Sin is a serious thing. And even a child is relatively sinless, so too we must approach the kingdom of heaven with that kind of innocence – an innocence which comes not from self-generated righteousness but from a committed belief in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

         We come to You today as little children – humble, teachable and full of trust. Take our pliable lives and shape us, Father, into the image of Your Son.