The Least Among You

Luke 9:46-48
An argument breaks out among the disciples as to who will be the greatest in heaven.  Jesus has just been transfigured before their eyes into dazzling glory, mingling with Elijah and Moses (vs. 29, 30); some of them have been engulfed by God's presence, hearing his voice, which testifies to Jesus' authority (vs. 34, 35); then after coming down the mountain Jesus rebukes an unclean spirit after no one else has been able to (vs. 40-42).  After all these marvelous things the disciples begin to get the wrong impression, as evidenced here in this argument they are having.  After experiencing all these incredible things they begin to wrongly perceive that it is in these incredible things that one proves his greatness.  Jesus has already sent them out under his authority, enabling them to perform mighty works (9:1-6).  They have tasted the greatness of God in Jesus, and now interpreted that as true greatness.  But Jesus reminds them, in the midst of their "Who is the greatest" discussion that it is not in these mighty things that one shows his greatness, but in the opposite, in the small and insignificant things, such as receiving a simple child, that one shows his true greatness (vs. 48).  It is when we think that our legitimacy is found in miraculous works that we venture off the path intended for us, causing us to judge and look down on others, separating ourselves from those "lower" than us (James 2:1-9), just as the disciples did (vs. 49-50, 53-54).  They rejected anyone who was not like them, seeing themselves as Jesus' "elite", and others as outsiders, rebuking them and shunning them (vs. 49-50).  They had a wrong view of greatness.  Even after all these impressive things Jesus had done, he reminds them that he is still going to be handed over and subdued by mere men and, not only does he already know it, but he willingly accepts it (vs. 44), despite possessing the power to obliterate any and all at any moment.  It is this attitude of wanting to show Christ in great and mighty works that one begins to falter and ultimately fall (I Corinthians 10:12).  Jesus tells them that he is found in the lowly and unimportant (Matthew 25:40), not the big and mighty.  It is our acceptance of "the least of these" that shows our humility and Christ-likeness, and our rejection of them that shows our pride and arrogance.  Who do we think we are?  The disciples thought pretty highly of themselves, ready to condemn anyone who stood against them (vs. 54).  And he warns us that if we are not to be found faithful in these small, insignificant, unnoticeable things, then we are not to be trusted in bigger things (Luke 16:10).  Besides, anyone welcomed into eternal life is greater than anyone and any work that could possibly be shown forth here on this earth, no matter the grandeur (Matthew 11:11).  Our lives should be spent in the unnoticed, insignificant things, and then bigger things may come or they may not, it doesn't matter.  It is our acceptance of any and all who are desperate and despised that we show our true greatness and love of Jesus, not in the big things, or the mighty things.  We assume our position of humility and lowliness and then it is up to God to do with us as he pleases (Luke 14:8-11).  If we assume a position of greatness and honor, we have left Jesus behind and have set ourselves up for a mighty fall.  Besides, God is the one who decides what is great and what is not, we do not understand the true nature of things.  What we interpret as mighty on this earth is not necessarily so.  Jesus, when he was at his "lowest", on the cross, was actually at his greatest (Philippians 2:5-11; Hebrews 12:2).  May this be our reality, may our exaltation be found in our humiliation, and our significance in our insignificance.  All else is fleshly works.