Key Thought

This is one of those very interesting passages that we are tempted to make too much of. First, notice the angels are not called guardian angels and are not even said to be present with the children. Jesus' point, the "little ones" (remember it's not just children, but the helpless and needy) have heavenly representatives in the presence of God himself. Don't denigrate these little ones; they're special to Jesus, God, and the angels before the throne of God. While we can talk about angels and their ministry, let's remember that even the least significant person in society is extremely significant to God who wants desperately to bring each one under his rule of grace.

Today's Prayer

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Holy God, thank you so much for caring for everyone. I know you care greatly for me and have sacrificed so much to adopt me into your family. Give me the heart to share your compassion with those in desperate need around me and help me to find the way to bring them into your grace. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Today's Verses in Context

At that time the followers came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" Jesus called a little child to come to him. Jesus stood the child before the followers. Then Jesus said, "I tell you the truth. You must change and become like little children {in your hearts}. If you don't do this, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. The greatest (most important) person in the kingdom of heaven is the person that makes himself humble like this child. "If a person accepts a little child like this in my name, then that person accepts me. "If one of these little children believes in me, and another person causes that child to sin, then it will be very bad for that person. It would be better for that person to have a millstone tied around his neck and be drowned in the deep sea. I feel sorry for the people in the world because of the things that make people sin. Those things must happen. But it will be very bad for the person that causes those things to happen. "If your hand or your foot makes you sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose part of your body but have life forever. That is much better than to have two hands and two feet but be thrown into the fire (hell) that burns forever. If your eye makes you sin, take it out and throw it away. It is better for you to have only one eye but have life forever. That is much better than to have two eyes but be thrown into the fire of hell. "Be careful. Don't think these little children are worth nothing. I tell you that these children have angels in heaven. And those angels are always with my Father in heaven. "If a man has 100 sheep, but one of the sheep becomes lost, then the man will leave the other 99 sheep on the hill. He will go to look for the lost sheep. Right? And if the man finds the lost sheep, the man is happier about that one sheep than about the 99 sheep that were never lost. I tell you the truth. In the same way, your Father in heaven does not want any of theselittle children to be lost.

— Matthew 18:1-14 (ERV)

Easy-to-Read Version copyright © 2001 by World Bible Translation Center. All rights reserved.