Humility is a lonely state to live in. It’s one thing to strive to have the humility of a servant, but quite another for someone to expect it of you – That we resist! The apostles could not have missed Jesus’ ‘Servant-Lord’ leadership style. They probably were humble men, but that didn’t mean that they couldn’t be tempted by pride.
In Matthew 18 the apostles fronted up to Jesus and asked him straight: “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”It is only natural that they should find out their leadership rankings in the Kingdom. After all, every king has his leadership team, and that team has its own pecking order. Why not sort it out now, rather than later?
Jesus illustrated his answer. He showed them a child and said, “I can guarantee this truth: Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mt.18:3).
Worldly leaders do not look to the status of a child for inspiration. The last thing on earth they want their leadership style to be associated with is a kindergarten. Little children do not concern themselves with marks of maturity like personal prestige and position. Jesus was not interested in correcting a momentary lapse in decorum, he was stating his non-negotiable condition for Kingdom entrance—You must Change and become like little children!
Jesus’ words speak to those latent ‘Leadership ambitions’ that sit below the surface and appear at an opportune moment. You and I have seen Christians destroy the work of Christ by demanding that they be taken seriously as the ‘person in charge around the place. Jesus is calling us to change completely. To permanently live in a state of childlike humility. Because it is there in that family of believers that God does His best work.
John Staiger