Children of God
Matthew 18:1-9
7/22/07
In today’s gospel lesson, Jesus is teaching His disciples about the nature of kingdom people. At this point in relationship, they have started to realize Jesus is more than the average traveling preacher. Peter confesses that Jesus is the Messiah; later, the disciples see Jesus transfigured; His heavenly glory is revealed. The disciples now realize God’s kingdom is indeed coming, and they have some questions. Basically, they desire to know what the pecking order is going to be. One of the disciples asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom?”
Pecking order is very important in our world, and the disciples wanted to make sure that they were going to be on top in the new world that was coming. I mean, they deserved those positions, because they had faithfully followed Jesus through the good and bad times. I learned a lot about pecking order in Japan. Japan is an extremely hierarchical society. From the moment I landed in the country, I learned how important it was to use the correct greetings and titles for various individuals. Of course, my teachers were called sensei, and I discovered they are called that your whole life, because even after they are done teaching you, and even if you get a higher degree than they obtained, the relationship will always be student/teacher. We were close to a couple of our language teachers, and I asked one if we would ever be able to call her Ono-san rather than Ono-sensei. She said, “In this life, who knows? That’s polite Japanese for, “Are you crazy?”
Another example of permanent pecking order is the family system in Japan. Fathers are No. 1; first sons are No. 2. This affects how you speak to your brother, even in childhood. Normally, children use a title with each other, such as Mike-kun, Mari-chan. Small boys have the title kun after their name, and girls the title chan. But nowadays, chan is used to refer to all of your friends as children, regardless of sex. Except for firstborn sons -- they would never be addressed as chan or kun. They also are given a title that means “elder brother.” They are always treated very politely, even by their siblings and their mom. Now, this didn’t bother me since I am the eldest son, and I am trying to get my mom and sisters to buy into this system, but I don’t have them convinced yet.
Children in Jesus’ time were not even in the pecking order. They had no value at all. It is very similar to the situation in China and India for girl babies; in some rural areas, it is not even considered a crime to abandon a newborn daughter on a public street -- though the Chinese have learned in recent years that they can sell those daughters to American middle-class families for around $20,000 to $30,000, so they have taken on a little worth. I would not qualify to adopt one of those babies now, because the Chinese have set weight and salary requirements to help find the best families for their abandoned daughters!
So, the disciples want to know the pecking order in the kingdom, and Jesus points to a child to convey a message. First of all, He calls into question their assumption that they were automatically “in” the kingdom. It seems that even the closest disciples cannot assume they are “in like Flynn” because they know the No. 1 man. As a matter of fact, Jesus uses that disturbing word we discussed in last Sunday’s message, though the English translation is different. Jesus uses the Greek word for “repent.” He says that unless you repent -- be converted, change -- and become like this child, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Can you imagine for a moment the head-shaking and shock the disciples must have experienced at this point? The kingdom was not a sure thing for them, much less a seat at the head table!
What did Jesus mean? There is only a slight hint, in that Jesus further explains that “whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” That must have been a very special child, because, as I have observed my niece and other children, humility doesn’t really seem to be an accurate description of a child. But let’s hang with Jesus’ explanation for a moment. Jesus is saying the child is closer to the kingdom than the disciples who are busy putting everyone in their place. Could it be that Jesus is looking for disciples who are open to new ways of being? Jesus is saying that the kingdom of heaven is about new ways of seeing and new ways of relating. I enjoyed watching the little children play in Kyoto and in Aizu, Japan. They didn’t seem to need a lot of stuff or toys. They would toss a big ball or a softball back and forth. They would get out insect nets in the summer and catch bugs and show them to each other. Cicadas are very popular, and they come every year. They looked at and marveled at tiny little flowers. They would play chase. They were constantly learning and relating to one another equally. None of their play involved winning or losing, using a lot of material things, or someone’s being in control.
The other thing about the children is they trusted their parents; they knew that they would be taken care of. As a matter of fact, Japanese mothers spoil their little children beyond belief, because once school starts, they will not be able to enjoy life again until college. So, once again, we imagine Jesus pointing this child out, who had no value whatsoever in ancient society, and He says this is an example of a great kingdom citizen: someone who is open, humble, dependent on others, naïve, innocent and on the bottom of the social ladder. Furthermore, to gain admission into the kingdom of heaven, we must be converted into this nature. To be a kingdom person means being open to growth, constantly learning, relating to others as equals, friends, playmates. To me, it seems easier to say that kingdom people are not arrogant, don’t have all the answers, are not the bosses, and are open to others and to all of God’s possibilities.
The next lesson Jesus conveys to his disciples seems to continue with the child model, but there is a subtle difference. Jesus uses the term “little ones.” This could imply children but probably means the new Christians, people who are new to the faith … not full-grown yet. Jesus points out that temptations will come or stumbling blocks will happen no matter what, but He warns mature Christians not to be the cause of the younger brothers’ and sisters’ falling.
In my experience within the church, it seems that the thing that causes new Christians to stumble directly relates to the earlier issue in Jesus’ teaching. Church members worry about their place and pecking order and sometimes find it difficult to incorporate new people. We don’t learn each other’s names; we don’t share power and positions. As a matter of fact, I have served some churches where people refuse to even share pews! I was standing in the aisle one Sunday before worship, and a visitor had taken a seat. Then, one of our older gentlemen came in and promptly announced to the visitor that she had his seat. I thought he was going to introduce himself and welcome her, but instead he told her to move, and he was serious. That was his seat; it had been his wife’s and his seat, but his wife had died, so that made it even more sacred … because it helped him to remember her special place with him. The visitor kind of smiled and moved. I don’t think she came back. It’s hard to make room — we feel so comfortable in “our” place.
Sometimes it is difficult to make decisions to invest in the little ones, and I am speaking specifically of children and babies now. You know, children and babies don’t put much money in the offering plate, so sometimes when plans are being made, the needs of the little ones come last. I wonder if Jesus meant that kind of stumbling block, not simply temptations that cause people to commit grievous sins but forgetting to show hospitality to the new ones. I mean, that could turn people off and make them stumble. So we must make sure as we are busy doing church, we make space for the little ones. Create Christian education programs that will help them mature in the faith, provide nurturing nurseries that are safe, clean and are staffed with people who shower the love of Jesus on babies. I hope we don’t forget to reach out in the neighborhood, not ignoring the people who are beside us. It may look as if they have no faith, but they may be one of those little ones who Jesus wants us to help along the way, rather than setting up stumbling blocks for.