Thursday: LISTEN CAREFULLY

Jun 23, 2022
2 min read

Lord, I eagerly desire to listen to You, but I don’t always understand what I read in Your Word. Please help me understand the fundamental principles You desire me to learn today.

Luke 9:43-50

While everyone was marveling at all that Jesus did, he said to his disciples, “Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.” But they did not understand what this meant. It was hidden from them, so that they did not grasp it, and they were afraid to ask him about it. An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest. Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him. Then he said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.” “Master,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us.” “Do not stop him,” Jesus said, “for whoever is not against you is for you.”

Some secrets of the Kingdom of God will be hidden from me until I am able and ready to understand them. Jesus unveiled the greatest secret to those who knew Him best, and even they did not understand what He meant.

Not only were they clueless about its meaning, but they actually started a selfish argument: They argued which of them would be the greatest. Jesus, filled with wisdom, showed them a practical example of welcoming a child to prove His point: whoever is least among you is the greatest.

THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS: Some of the hardest principles for me to understand are also the simplest. The world teaches that great people are driven by success; they are the hungriest and greediest, and they work the hardest to achieve it. Jesus taught the principles of His Kingdom: The greatest among us is like a child, one who does not seek his own honor and glory. But the disciples were seeking great honor for themselves.

John then raised another point. He had seen someone driving out demons in the name of Jesus. This was something new for the disciples; would demons respond to anyone other than the disciples utilizing the power of Jesus’ name? The disciples proved once again that they didn’t understand a fundamental principle of the Kingdom. John stated, “We tried to stop him, because he is not one of us.” Jesus once again corrected them, so they could see that His ministry was bigger than they thought. “Do not stop him,” Jesus stated, “for whoever is not against you is for you.”

Lord, please let me appreciate the work others do in Your name, then I will gain confidence and courage to utilize the power of Your name, and I will grow closer to You.

May you be blessed, Chaplain Wayne Ruckman