Mark 9:33-50

Childish or Child-like?

These two terms seem so similar yet they are quite dissimilar. It was childish of the disciples to argue about who was the greatest. Were they arguing about whether Jesus was greater than Moses, or Elijah? More likely they were arguing about which of them was the greatest (assuming they all considered Jesus to be the real greatest). In either event - childish.

It was childish of the disciples to not answer Jesus’ question because they knew what they had argued about was childish. He knew. They knew He knew. He knew they knew He knew it.

It was childish of them to rebuke someone for doing good in Jesus’ name, just because he didn’t go to their church. I mean he wasn’t in their club. Uh, he wasn’t one of them. It really wasn’t about them now was it?

It’s child-like to trust. It is child-like to not consider yourself so great. (Though we are working hard to try and rob that from children in this culture.) It is child-like to believe and to think that daddy can do anything and life is beautiful.

Acting childish will cause us to make bad choices and hide from Jesus. Being child-like will cause us to end up in Jesus’ arms.