Matthew 18:14 New International Version (NIV)
14 In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish. Friday, August 7 - Matthew 18:14 This is an exclamation mark on a discussion that started in Matthew 18:1 when the disciples asked Jesus about who was going to be the “greatest” in the kingdom of heaven. They were getting more and more excited about Jesus and what he had come to do. Over the course of three years they had front row seats to the miracles of Jesus and they were awed by his teaching that seemed to have power and authority like no one else (Matt. 7:28-29). The surprising part was that they either conveniently forgot or outright refused to accept his talk about death, crosses and resurrection (Matt. 16:21-28). The “little” things like forgiveness of sins, mercy, and caring for “little ones” was low on their scale of “greatness.” But guess what? The will of God, the Father of Jesus, is that not even a single one of the “little ones” should perish. We “find” greatness in God’s kingdom when we recognize our “lostness.” As the Apostle Paul put it: Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him… that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death (Philippians 3:8-10)..