Following Jesus in Humility 谦卑地跟随耶稣

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Dexu Xia

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Feb 2, 2026, 2:14:54 AMFeb 2

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Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18:3

Today's Scripture Matthew 18:1-4

Today's Insights Companion passages in Mark 9:33-37 and Luke 9:46-48 shed light on today’s Bible reading from Matthew 18:1-4. Jesus and His disciples had been traveling to Capernaum on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee. When they arrived, Christ asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” (Mark 9:33). His question was merely rhetorical. He knew full well what they’d been discussing. Mark tells us that “they had argued about who was the greatest” (v. 34). In so doing, the disciples showed how badly they misunderstood what Jesus’ kingdom was about. Hence, they asked an unhelpful question: “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” (Matthew 18:1). It was then that Christ “called a little child to him” (v. 2). Children wielded neither the power nor the influence the disciples valued and sought. Jesus’ mission inverts our natural understanding of what’s important. He calls and helps believers in Him to be humble, like little children (vv. 3-5)

Today's Devotional Near our home is a famous garden where we often take walks with a young boy our family cares for. His favorite area is the Children’s Garden, which has a small door large enough for him to run through but small enough to force me to crouch. He laughs as I drop to my knees and wiggle through the small opening to chase him.

The small garden gate reminds me of Jesus’ object lesson in Matthew 18, where He calls a little child to His side to explain the type of person who will enter the kingdom of heaven (v. 2). It was a bold example, for in Christ’s day to be a child was to be inconsequential and overlooked. Unlike today, their opinions and desires didn’t matter. Jesus uses this description to highlight our human tendency to be noticed and seek power and influence.

Of course, Jesus wasn’t asking His disciples to become children again but rather pointing to the traits that mark those who serve him. The biggest marker is humility—the person who “takes the lowly position” (v. 4) and serves others.

The small garden door is a reminder that humility doesn’t come naturally to us. Believers in Jesus, however, are to be this way. We’re to follow our Savior, who modeled this way of living by making “himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant” (Philippians 2:7).

Reflect & Pray

In what areas of your life do you thrust yourself to the forefront and seek to be noticed? How can you learn to live more like Jesus?

Dear Father, please forgive me for my pride and self-interest. Help me to be a little child who runs to You.

By Matt Lucas

你们若不回转，变成小孩子的样式，断不得进天国。（马太福音 18:3）

今日经文：马太福音 18章1-4节

今日灵修：马可福音 9章33-37节和路加福音 9章46-48 节的相关经文有助于我们理解今天马太福音 18章1-4节的经文。耶稣和门徒们正前往加利利海北岸的迦百农。他们到达后，基督问他们：“你们在路上争论什么呢？”（马可福音 9:33）。这是个反问句，因为他完全知道他们在争论什么。马可福音告诉我们，“他们争论谁最大”（34节）。门徒们的争论表明他们对耶稣的国度有多大的误解。因此，他们问了一个毫无益处的问题：“那么，天国里谁最大呢？”（马太福音 18:1）。就在那时，基督“叫了一个小孩到他跟前”（2节）。孩子们既没有门徒们所看重和追求的那种权力，也没有他们的影响力。耶稣的使命颠覆了我们对何为重要的固有认知。他呼召并帮助信徒们像小孩子一样谦卑（3-5节）。

今日灵修：我家附近有个著名的花园，我们经常带家人照顾的一个小男孩去那里散步。他最喜欢的地方是儿童花园，那里有一扇小门，他可以跑过去，但我却非得蹲下才能进去。我跪下来扭动着身子钻过小门追他，他便哈哈大笑。

这扇小花园门让我想起了马太福音18章中耶稣的比喻，他叫了一个小孩到他身边，向他解释什么样的人才能进入天国（第2节）。这是一个大胆的例子，因为与现代不同，在基督的时代，孩童意味着微不足道，容易被忽视，他们的意见和愿望无关紧要。耶稣用这个比喻来强调我们人类渴望被关注、追求权力和影响力的倾向。当然，耶稣并不是要门徒们在肉身重新变成孩童，而是指出那些服侍他的人所具备的特质。其中最重要的特质就是谦卑，“甘愿卑微”（4节），并服侍他人。这扇小小的花园门提醒我们，谦卑并非与生俱来。然而，信耶稣的人应当如此。耶稣以身作则，树立了这种生活方式的榜样，他“虚己，取了奴仆的形象”，我们应当效法我们的救主，（腓立比书2:7）。

反思与祷告在生活的哪些方面，你会把自己推到风口浪尖，渴望被人关注？你如何才能学习活得更像耶稣？

亲爱的天父，请原谅我的骄傲和自私。求您帮助我像小孩子那样奔向您。