Daily Devotion

September 7, 2013

A Self-Seeking Spirit (5)


“A dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest.” Lk 9:46 NKJV

The Bible says: “Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest. And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a little child and set him by Him, and said to them, ‘Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you all will be great’” (vv. 46-48 NKJV). What’s at work in this story? A self-seeking spirit. As long as your motive for serving is to make yourself look good, you’ll never enjoy God’s approval. And His “Well done” is the only thing that counts. The ability to serve behind the scenes, and do it with joy, comes from the knowledge that ultimately your service will be recognized and rewarded by the only One whose opinion counts. Why did Jesus feature a child that day? For three reasons: (1) A child is teachable. When you’re done learning, you’re done! When you can’t be told, God will have nothing more to tell you. “The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it out” (Pr 18:15 NIV). (2) A child is trusting. When you promise a child something they believe you, act on it, and expect it to be so. “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man” (Ps 118:8 NKJV). (3) A child is tenderhearted. “Finally, all of you be…tenderhearted” (1Pe 3:8 NKJV). The Holy Spirit is symbolized in Scripture as a gentle dove, so keep your heart tender and receptive to His dealings.

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