Be Humble like Little Children, Forgive like Joseph. Son of God & Man!
“Amen I say to you, unless you turn and become like little children, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whoever, therefore, humbles himself as this little child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
I always heard “become like little children,” not so much the “humble yourself as this little child” part.
Funny how I hear what I want to hear. Or hear what the Evil One wants me to hear, not what God wants me to hear!
Forgiveness is another one where I like to think I am good at but in reality fall woefully short.
“I do not say to thee seven times, but seventy times seven,” Jesus responds to the coy Peter.
“Have patience with me and I will pay thee all,’” don’t we all say this to Jesus or indirectly to those we have resented, judged and sinned against? I am trying my best, so you should forgive me!
But then we turn around and treat our debtors, those who have sinfully crossed us, very harshly and unforgivingly. The clerk isn’t a jerk, just another human being on a journey through this world.
“Shouldst not thou also have had pity on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee?”
Yes I should have Jesus. Thank you for Your forgiveness and help me to forgive others better. I will humbly and earnestly try to do better this very moment, this very day. Thank you for your forgiveness, mercy, compassion, grace and love. I truly want to do Your Will with my self, my being and my life. Please give me the power to do so!
“So also my heavenly Father will do to you, if you do not each forgive your brothers from your hearts.”
Jesus, you are in my heart, help me to forgive like You, Your disciples and Your apostles forgive.
For the Son of Man came to save what was lost and I am certainly lost.
You were man, a human being just like me but also unlike me with no sin and all so in touch with Your Father and His Power. You were all so powerful while here on earth.
I know Your favorite designation, in referring to Yourself, was the “Son of Man.” The Gospels record some seventy-eight times when You used that title for Yourself.
Though Your Bible does not define its exact meaning, the title “Son of Man” probably refers to the fact that You were perfect humanity. When You, as God, came down and lived among us as the perfect human being. By doing this, You fulfilled the Law of Moses and did what no other human being was able to do. Thank You for being and identifying with people like me that You have come to save.
So I will try to be as humble as a little child and forgive like Joseph forgave…
Day 18: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; Be Humble like Little Children, Forgive like Joseph. Son of God & Man!
Read and inspired by the New Testament, The Gospel of Saint Matthew Chapters 17-18.
Bible Notes:
The Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew
Saint Matthew, also known as Levi, was a Galilean by birth.
Tax Collector at Capharnaum
Christ called him to become a disciple, and later an Apostle
After the Holy Ghost came down on the Apostles on Pentecost, Matthew preached the Gospel in Judea.
He wrote his Gospel to prove to his readers that Christ was the Messiah foretold by God in the Old Testament
Matthew Chapter 17: Jesus transfigured; On the coming of Elias; A father asks Jesus to cure his son; Jesus cures him by casting out a devil; Why the disciples could not cure him; The second prediction of the passion; Paying the Temple tax.
And His face shone as the sun, and his garments became white as snow.
Peter, James and his brother John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves, and was transfigured before them.
Transfigured—to change in outward form or appearance; transform; to change so as to glorify or exalt.
And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elias talking together with him.
“This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear him.”
“Arise, and do not be afraid.”
But lifting up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.
“Elias indeed, is to come and will restore all things…”
Then the disciples understood that he had spoken to them of John the Baptist.
“How long shall I be with you?”
“Because of your little faith… But this kind can be cast out only by prayer and fasting.”
“The Son of Man is to be betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill him; and on the third day he will rise again.”
Collecting the didrachma… Jesus to Simon… “cast a hook and take the first fish… and opening its mouth thou wilt find a stater; take that and give it to them for me and for thee.”
Matthew Chapter 18: Against ambition; Avoiding scandal; The lost sheep; Fraternal correction; The power of the united prayer; Peter asks how often to forgive; Parable of the unmerciful servant; The servant demands payment; The servant’s fate.
“Amen I say to you, unless you turn and become like little children, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven, Whoever, therefore, humbles himself as this little child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
“And whoever receives one such little child for my sake, receives me.”
“Woe to the world because of scandals!”
Cut it off and cast it from thee (hand or foot)
Pluck it out and cast it from thee.
For the Son of Man came to save what was lost.
Son of Man—Jesus Christ, especially at the Last Judgment (the Last Judgment, the occasion, after the resurrection of the dead at the end of the world, when, according to biblical tradition, God will decree the final destinies of all men according to the good and evil in their earthly lives Also known as the Last Day, Doomsday, Judgment Day)
Jesus’ favorite designation, in referring to Himself, was the “Son of Man.” The Gospels record some seventy-eight times that Jesus used this title for Himself.
Though the Bible does not define its exact meaning, the title “Son of Man” probably refers to the fact that Jesus was perfect humanity. He, as God, came down and lived among us as the perfect human being. By doing this, He fulfilled the Law of Moses and did what no other human being was able to do. By using this title, He is identifying with the people He had come to save.
“Even so, it is not the will of your Father in heaven that a single one of these little ones should perish.”
“But if thy brother sin against thee, go and show him his fault, between thee and him alone… one or tow more… the Church… if refuses let him be to thee as the heathen and publican.”
Heathen—(in historical contexts) an individual of a people that do not acknowledge the God of the Bible; a person who is neither a Jew, Christian, nor Muslim; a pagan.
Publican—Roman History, a person who collected public taxes.
“I say to you further, that if two of you shall agree on earth about anything at all for which they ask, it shall be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered for my sake, there I am in the midst of them.”
“I do not say to thee seven times, but seventy times seven.”
Have patience with me and I will pay thee all!
Shouldst not thou also have had pity on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee?
“So also my heavenly Father will do to you, if you do not each forgive your brothers from your hearts.”
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