Value of One

Scripture:  Matthew 18:10-14  (Click link for scripture in Bible Gateway)

10 “Beware that you don’t look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father. 12 “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? 13 And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that didn’t wander away! 14 In the same way, it is not my heavenly Father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish. (Matthew 18:10–14 NLT)

Buckle up, Friends! Let’s take a ride with Jesus and do some exploring around the inside out, upside down Kingdom of Heaven. In the Kingdom of Jesus and his Father, we’re going to find some surprising things! We’ll find little over big, weak over strong, oppressed over oppressor, abused over abuser, outsider over insider, compassion over condemnation, grace over guilt, helping over hurting, giving over getting, serving over ruling, poor over rich. We’ll find that power is for lifting up the fallen, and authority is for serving the needs of others. We’ll find that wealth is for helping the poor and health is for healing the sick. We’ll find that faith is for accessing the resources of Heaven to meet the needs of the world.

Here’s a couple of other things we’ll discover as Jesus shows us around his Kingdom. The math doesn’t work the same way here as it does elsewhere. In Jesus’ Kingdom it’s one over many, relationships over rules, and lost over found. The worth of an individual isn’t how much they own or produce, it’s the price Jesus paid to redeem them. The true value of our citizenship isn’t the benefits and rights it gets us, it’s the sacrifice and service we give because we have it.

I have to tell you, friends, this inside out, upside down kingdom is a very different place than we’re used to! Our selfish selves probably won’t like it much, and it’s hard to wrap your head around it at first. But it will fill your heart with love, and peace, and joy. It will turn your value system right side up as you discover the joy of finding one lost sheep and as you make yourself at home in the place where the little ones sit right up front. Let this place, this Kingdom of Heaven, become the forever home of your heart!

Prayer:

Father, Tell Jesus thanks for the tour! I’m a little one who wants to be in my Father’s presence forever! I’m a lost one my Shepherd tracked down and brought home. Amen!