Who's the greatest?

Cornerstone's devotions today are taken from Matthew 18:1-5 which you can read HERE. Jesus is faced with a problem typical even today: Who is the greatest? There seems to be an obsession with that in our culture. Who's the greatest football team? (Steelers, of course!) Who is the greatest singer on American Idol? It shouldn't surprise us that this can spill into the life of the church...who's the greatest? Jesus gives an interesting, and challenging, answer. The greatest is the most humble. It is a strange paradox, and yet one which speaks the heart of God. He goes on to challenge us about being hospitable to the "least" of those around us. The disciples were obviously struggling to become great by hanging out with the greatest. But Jesus turns the concept on its head by simply stating that one becomes great by hanging around with the least.

Lord, thanks for challenging me. May I be great in your Kingdom today only by your grace. May I be great by spending my energies and time with the least, the last, and the lost. Forgive my snobbishness, my pride, and my judgmental heart. Free me up and pull me down to greater humility...