Verse: Matthew 11:11-12
Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force.
DevotionI’d be lying if I said this immediately made sense to me. But I read some commentaries (because that kind of thing is fun to me), and what I’m left with is the same impression that I originally got, with a little less confusion on the end, but not much. That is, just an affirmation of the upside-down economy of the Kingdom of God. What God really values is so foreign to our human hearts, our way of thinking, and our ideas of success. Jesus is saying that John the Baptist is the greatest individual to ever have lived, and in the same breath that the lowest person in the Kingdom of Heaven will be greater. It’s just so hard to fathom the way that humility is valued in God’s kingdom.
What is clear is that we are called to be servants, the Bible makes this apparent in so many places. And this is the heart of who we are called to be. Christ, who we are to imitate, is the ultimate servant, and to be like him, we must do the same. You don’t have to be good at it, you just have to be willing to put someone else, their needs, in a position of importance.
This is not a natural state for us, at least not for me. I allow the minutiae of my life to dominate my thoughts and behaviors. And it’s important that I make space for more. In order to be an imitator of Christ, I need to be available for more than just getting through each day. It can sound like a lot, especially if you already feel exhausted. But I really believe that when we use our time, energy, and gifts for the Kingdom of God, that is when we are given more life, more joy, and provision for life. I truly believe that this is what is meant by “abundant life”.
Prayer:
Lord, help us to imitate you! We want to be your hands and your feet. Amen
Author: Emily Costa
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