3rd Saturday of Advent (December 20). Unless you change

 ​Prepare to Listen.  Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven
 
Prayerfully Read Matthew 18:1-5
At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’  2He called a child, whom he put among them, 3and said, ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  4Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  5Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.
 
Prayerfully Wonder and Reflect
The disciples asked Jesus, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”  What do you wish Jesus had said?
 
I once worked for an organization focused on ministry to children that used these verses as support.  As a result, we ignored Jesus’ primary teaching, that the only way to enter the kingdom of heaven was to change and become like a child.  We also didn’t pay attention to the fact that Jesus said this in response to a specific question: “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”  It took me a while to learn that the passage must be read with that question in mind.
 
In an earlier story Jesus said John the Baptizer was the greatest born of women, adding, “yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he” (Mt 11:11).  Obviously, the disciples hadn’t paid attention either, hence their question!  So, Jesus used a visual aid.  He put a child among them and said, if you want to be the greatest, you must change and become the least, that is, like a child.  You’ll never enter the kingdom of heaven unless you do.  It’s a shocking statement that most of us disregard or misinterpret.
 
Salvation isn’t about saying “the sinner’s prayer,” or asking Jesus into your heart.  It’s becoming like a child, vulnerable and fully reliant on another, Jesus.  It’s about putting aside the arrogant belief that we can manage on our own, be our own savior.  Like a child, we must rest fully in Christ to save, protect and keep us.  If we follow Jesus, we must change—how we think, how we live, whom we trust.
 
Jesus said, “Unless you change.”  What will it take for you to become like a child and thus be able to receive the kingdom?
 
Prayerfully Respond
Lord, help me become more like a child, trusting fully in you for all I need to save me.  Amen.
 
Live obediently. Change and become like a child.