How to Prioritize Relationships and Experience the Kingdom of Heaven
- Lee Young
- Jul 24
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 31
Matthew 19:14 (NIV)
14 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
People had brought their little children to Jesus. They wanted Him to lay His hands on them and bless them. The disciples rebuked the people for doing this, and Jesus became indignant with His disciples.
For the disciples, their understanding of ministry did not include little children. They were constantly consumed with their position in the coming kingdom of Christ. They lived in a class-driven society. A person’s position determines importance and value. Because Israel was a theocracy, the perception was that the most important people were the religious leaders. In a class-based society, the value of a person was determined by the perception of a person’s usefulness and potential to climb the social ladder-what others thought of you, what they could offer you, and how they could help you rise was all that mattered. Little children could do nothing of the sort.
The parents loved their children and wanted the best for them, but these children could not help the disciples lift their reputation in the eyes of the city. For this reason, they did not think them worth the time. And this attitude stirred anger in our Lord.
Our passage this week prompts us to reflect on who is truly important to us. To be Christlike is not to give more attention to those things that we believe will make our lives better, but to make the lives of others better. Our time spent interacting with people should not be driven by who can elevate our reputation, help us secure a promotion, build our ministry, enlarge our business, or enrich our pockets. We are called to love all people. And the Bible defines religion at its purest form by caring for widows and orphans who have no one to care for them. Caring for others simply because God loves them builds relationships that bring us nearer to the kingdom of Heaven.
Prayer: Lord, help me to live and to love without any concern of who can enrich my life, but only how I may enrich others, especially those who have no one to help them. Amen.
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