November 23

“Truly I tell you,” He said, “unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. — Matt 18:3 BSB

Jesus spoke powerful words when He said that only those who become like little children can enter the kingdom of heaven. It’s essential for us to understand what He meant. What does it mean to become like a little child?

There’s a story of a man beloved by the angels. They wanted him to be honored in a special way, so they asked him to choose a remarkable gift. But the man refused to make a choice. When pressed, he said he simply wanted to do good in the world without even realizing it. So, it was arranged that whenever his shadow fell behind him, it brought healing and blessing. But when his shadow fell in front of him, it had no power.

This is what it means to be Christlike—goodness and power to do good without even being aware of it. The desire for recognition, the craving for praise, and the consciousness of being good or great are signs of a worldly spirit. In another place, Jesus taught that true greatness in His kingdom is found in serving others with humility, not in being served. The greatest Christian is the one who serves others most selflessly.