Who Is The Greatest In The Kingdom?

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.  Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me; but whoever causes one of these little ones who believes in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.”

Matthew 18:1-6

Notice when asked who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, that Jesus did not say industrial tycoons or politicians or ministers or kings or queens or billionaires or movie stars or any of the people that wield power here on earth.  Jesus said children, and those who humble themselves like children, will be the greatest.  

This is because God does not judge success as we judge success.  God judges success as having a pure heart and pure motives. 

It is not that we cannot have any of the trappings of earthly success; it is that we must also have the attributes of a child – a good heart and a kind spirit.

Let us be mindful of who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven and humble ourselves before God.