Matthew 19; Mark 10
Today’s reading takes us to Matthew 19 and Mark 10. They seem to tell the same events from two different perspectives. One comes from Matthew, the tax collector turned disciple of Jesus. The other comes from Peter, the impetuous follower who passed his memories along to his young protégé, John Mark.
I find it interesting that these passages met me after a particularly demanding and stressful week. My wife had one too. It was my first week working from home in eleven weeks. I’d been on the road ten straight weeks, and that wears you out in one way. Then a huge amount of work in a short window wears you out in another.
Yesterday I walked across the backyard just to clear my head for a moment. My mind ran to being a child in God’s kingdom. I thought about heaven, and how there are probably no deadlines there. There’s definitely no overbearing boss demanding hurry, hurry, hurry, and no unrealistic deadlines or expectations. I don’t think those things happen in heaven. Then I thought about being a child, whose main thoughts for the day were probably: Who am I going to play with today? What kind of adventure and fun am I going to get into? And I wonder what’s for supper? That’s the stress-free life that’s so hard to find here on earth.
Becoming Like a Child
When the disciples tried to turn the children away, Jesus was indignant. He said, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it” (Mark 10:14–15).
That’s hard for an adult to wrap our heads around: responsible, hardworking, with a to-do list a mile long. I’ll admit it. I’m action-oriented to a fault. I’m almost always looking for what needs to be done and how I can stay busy, until stress pushes me into that overwhelmed state.
Jesus doesn’t want us to get to that overwhelmed state. He wants us to get with Him:
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28–30)
Jesus is saying, I’ve got a life for you that isn’t the stress monster you deal with all the time. I’ve got a life that’s rich and full. How do we come to Him? We come as children, without a lot of preconceived ideas and without a lot of demands.
Childish Demands
Speaking of demands, consider James and John. They came to Jesus and said, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory” (Mark 10:37). In Matthew’s telling, their mother makes the request for them (Matthew 20:20–21). They wanted to be the top dudes in Jesus’ kingdom.
My guess is they weren’t thinking about heaven. They still expected Jesus to launch a campaign and set up His kingdom on earth, and they wanted to be right there with Him at His right and left hand. That’s a childish request more than a childlike one.
I see it in Scripture: childlike faith is good. Childish faith, I believe, the Lord puts up with for a while. But He really wants us to grow. He wants us to become more like Him, and that means servant leadership.
Growing Up into Servant Leadership
Jesus dives right into it with all the disciples:
“You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:42–45)
We may have roles out front, roles that are more leadership in nature. But we’re never to forget that Jesus came to serve, and as His disciples and followers, we’re called to serve too. We’re to love with His love and serve with His heart.
So the childlike heart grows into a responsible adult who serves and loves well. We do that by keeping our eyes on Jesus and letting His Holy Spirit help us, guide us, and change us.
Today’s Thought
Childlike faith, not remaining childish in our faith, growing to lead as servants. Whether at home, in the workplace, at school, or among our friends, it’s what Jesus did, and it’s what He’s calling us to.
Where in your life right now are you living childish instead of childlike, and who is one person you can serve today?
Be blessed today, and be a blessing wherever God takes you.
