Today’s Daily Lesson comes from Matthew chapter 18 verses 10 through 14:
10 ‘Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones; for, I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven. 12What do you think? If a shepherd has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? 13And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray.14So it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.
When I used to do youth ministry, we talked about learning to love the hard to love kid. This was the youth who was not easily likeable but was often incredibly annoying and sometimes even cold and disrespectful. Sometimes the kid was just odd or different. Always he or she was very, very demanding. God sent this child to us so that we could learn patience.
And, make no mistake, God did indeed make and send the child.
It’s so easy as a youth minister or teacher to slip into despising a child. Some kids just get on every single nerve in our body. We think life would be so much better if they weren’t around or if they weren’t a part of the group. Some days we just wish they’d transfer. Sometimes our actions towards them either explicitly or implicitly tell them they should transfer.
In today’s Lesson, Jesus warns us against our own contempt. He reminds us that the hard to love kid has an angel who speaks face to face with God every day. He reminds us that God loves the hard to love kid. And, Jesus reminds us that it is not the will that any one of these little ones be lost.
Not one. Not even that one. Not even that annoying little one who grew up to become an even more annoying big one. No, not one.
No comments:
Post a Comment