Life Lessons We Learn from Children, Part 3

Today on Insight for living from Chuck Swindoll. Be careful what you say about others in the family of God on what your thoughts will pass along information that would be hurtful is only essential in set in the right context see your lips, you reveal more about yourself than you do about the one you're talking about our mind creates images decorated officer noble statesmen wrapped pioneers in modern medicine. And yet when Jesus was asked to identify the greatest of all he put his arms around a little child and said this this little girl through her humility and innocence trace true greatness in the kingdom of heaven while the disciples were stunned and today on Insight for living. Chuck Swindoll invites us to read the biblical record.

In Matthew chapter 18 offers a message titled life lessons we learn from children.

Interestingly, when they who is the greatest in the kingdom. Jesus doesn't point out one or several of them burst to I love this. He called a little child to him and he put the child among them.

Now you realize that in 14 versus 01 is mentioned not eight times over and over and over and over. It's about the little child. Why do I make a figure that because the very one. Everybody would've overlooked is in fact the object lesson from whom we can learn so much about life and whether a little boy or girl I want you to see the value so valuable that Jesus teaches 12 and arguing over which one of the greatest some lessons about life that they needed to have learned early on but didn't. So embrace of the little child were going to ever be a little girl and he stands her in their midst. The role wondering what is this about one of the other.

Do what's important is what you and I have to admit we don't learn a lot from anybody because were so preoccupied with our cell important. This start being concerned about was number one among you. Life isn't about that was learn from this child. So versus 234 we have standing here an example 2 things of unspoiled innocence, and second, unguarded humility, he put the child among them.

Verse two and then he said, are you interested in the kingdom life as I've been teaching or you're interested in what heaven is all about. Are you interested in connecting with the world. I'm trying to introduce you to seek first the kingdom in my righteousness, and all the other stuff of life will be added to or you interested in that start with the child is a child standing among the mentor unspoiled innocence. No agendato deliver no hidden desires no secret sin, no guile, she's not even aware what she standing there and secondly look at the next statement. Then I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children will never enter this into this kingdom life so anyone who becomes as humble as the little child thought of that child is by nature just to they are a childlike humility would be virtually impossible to offend the little one just childlike in every way and he says of a basic lesson to learn in life is the value of authentic humility. How do we handle our children in verses five through 14 for different possibilities are set forth and I want you to see all four. Since the child is in their midst and they're no longer arguing over because they're ashamed of themselves for thinking so much about who was the greatest now have a little child, one of the things Jesus teaches them about learning from about life for children. The first is we can accept and delight in them that's in verse five.

Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me how valuable it was, as they were given to us that we accept them and welcome that we realize each one was a gift from God.

Each one. The same is true in the body of Christ. Each one of us called. Interestingly, children of God. We guard against comparing them because they're not the same.

They have different interests in art or in sports or in life. Some learn quickly. Some learn slowly. Some learn the hard way. Some learn easily.

Some require more discipline than others required but all four for us were to be accepted and delighted in the same for your children when you get to verses 6 to 9.

The scene is not pretty, but it's realistic stay with the little children image because this woman through the fabric of these verses and look at verse six, but there's that connectivity that introduces a contrast, there are those who don't delight in children.

There are those who don't value children.

What do they do they miss treat and offend them. Read about it.

If you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, and that he uses some of the strongest words in all his teaching on earth. Look at what he says it would be better for that person to be drowned in the depth of the sea meant to be guilty of hurting offending mistreating one of these little ones when you're in Israel and you see a millstone you seal solid rock about this round may be 3 feet across, with a hole in the middle where it would roll like a wheel that would be used for grinding grain or grinding corn was called a millstone would often weigh a ton or more. He uses exaggerated language to convey extreme punishment. What he says that a large millstone to be hung around your neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. What sorrow awaits the world because it tempts people to send them to describe the temptations of follow you want to know the ultimate example of mistreatment would be human trafficking never diminish the awful mess of that trade for little girls are arm or soul blocked exploited sexually mistreated discarded like a load of hardwood ultimate in mistreatment and offending. And when they are rescued by some work courageously involved in that ministry that they often don't know what life is about.

They are so confused because they had been mistreated, offended, they have not been treated with dignity and significance. They see themselves as merchandise to be exploited.

No self-worth thrown aside, tossed aside to die when they been when they've served their purpose. We can mistreat and offend them. We you please remember though you do not go that far.

Of course, before you lash out before you let your anger get away from you and you go too far. Remember the just little children there at your mercy.

Is this little girl standing there batting her big eyes and hear these grown men listening to Jesus teach about what it's like to be kingdom people who know how to treat others. In this case he uses a child. The same could be said for one another. Be careful what you say about others in the family of God. Guard your tongue watch your thoughts will pass along information that would be hurtful was is absolutely essential and set in the right context.

Seal your lips, you reveal more about yourself than you do about the one you're talking about two offended mistreat other people's dirty pool in the family of God is 1/3 possibility and that's in verses 10 and 11 for we can undervalue and discount the child. Look at how he puts it, go to verse 10.

Beware that you don't look down on any of these little ones. I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly father. Many teach Guardian Angels based on that verse of Scripture that each child has his or her own guardian angel, whether or not the teaches that is debatable, but the point is, there is an angel available to each one and there are those who are weak and fragile and they can't keep up. Then you slow down, take time for them see the value in them.

I love the scene where Jesus talks about future rewards and he says I was sick and you and you brought me something to eat.

I was in prison and you came and visited me, I was thirsty and you brought me some cool something cool to drink of the one hearing it says when did we bring you something to eat when we visit you in prison. When did we give you something cool to drink and Jesus answer is in as much as you've done it to the least of these, you've done it unto me. Love that verse. Matthew 2540, inasmuch as you have done it to these who couldn't keep up these with special needs these with congenital brain damage these with physical conditions that hinder them from being able to run like the other children or to have coordinated bodies like other fast-moving and well coordinated kiddos guard against devaluing a child or discounting them. This is a great moment for me to add this to those of you who are fathers and and and you love sports, you may have a board that isn't given to sports give them a break, give them a break. Sports is his thing. I'm thinking of a very tall and handsome young man today who looks like a football player but was never interested in football, but his father was interested in his being that until the boy would be involved in football. The child was hardly valuable to the dead tragic that setting is the boy grows up wondering about his own value because he was never in his father's significant because he was not of a football star. Some children are born to be artists encourage the art so summer suburb born to dance and sing it.

Encourage them there value whatever it is that God is placed in the lives study the child so that you know and this brings me again to thar body of Christ.

Guard against judging those who were different guard against placing value on those that are like you are how important it is that we that we don't look down on any of this that you don't look down on me and I don't look down on you and we don't look down on one another. We realize that each one of us has a place and then finally we can neglect and lose a child and you know you you've known all your life about the 90 and nine that are all of that are that are safe and one gets one wanders away. It is lost. Remember the story what will he do it says what will he do when a man is it 100 sheep, and one of them wanders off the site with the 99 he cares about the wonders, wondering what is he do, he rejoices over that one.

When he is found because he had been lost and now he is been found. I don't know if you remember the story true story of the little 23-year-old child in West Texas saw a number of years ago who stumbled into the well shaft and and the whole nation stopped and watched it on television and read about in the paper, wondering if the child would be would be saved before she died in that well shaft are all kinds of special digging and excavation was done and they rescued the child in the whole country rejoiced.

She received thousands of cards and letters of welcoming her which illustrates how valuable he is.

When when the one that was almost lost kickback speak very tenderly here and I say this is a close. You may have one who was one when I was younger in the ministry. I was a lot more severe a lot more judgmental and now that I'm older. Years as a shepherd, I have another view how we deal with those that the drift. I realize now the greatest thing we can do is to help them find their way back, help them recover to pray for them to throw them lifelines to give them words of encouragement and hope to count on God to bring them to their knees, and I know some seem lost forever.

I know what I'm talking about here, but God in his own time is a wonderful way as he brings the wanderer back in. Everyone rejoices hydrated would be that when the wanderer finally returns, he or she can look at you and say thank you for being there for me when I was so far away from never writing me off never cast me aside, never condemning me because, as he puts it in the same way. It is not my heavenly father's will that even one little one parish or hospitals are filled with little children, one in the family and the family is almost stopped. Everything else to give attention to that one suffering child in hopes of bringing them back to full health.

Be careful how you treat those who wander away that you don't neglected or you don't reject.

What did we remember from children to simple lessons number one were all equal in the sight of God were all equal. The sight of God, that wonderful no one in here is number one is that great. No one is number two.

Know what is number 10 were all equal. The ground is level at the foot of the cross children teaches that like someone ask you which one is your favorite child.

Well, some days you could answer that a little bit easier than other days.

But when you're really thinking seriously.

You know the answer. They all mean the same to me in the second thing we learned is that we all come to God the same way like little children who really know the meaning of the word help help me and often have their arms outstretched for you to pick him up. Maybe your arms are stretching out today and I have great news. The one who put a child in their midst is here today to take you up and to bring you home, call me about with me please if you never come before come today like a little child, the father, thank you for your special care over everyone of us and for the things that you teach us for the tenderness we learn from those who show us mercy and the forgiveness from those who forgive us. Thank you for your grace comes to our rescue when we least deserve it and always willing to make this the first day of the rest of our life.

For those who come today. Thank you. Maybe finding you the whole long for in the relief finally search for in the name of Jesus, our Savior and Lord. Pray every once in a minute. You're listening to Insight for living message from Chuck Swindoll titled life lessons we learn from children.

There's much more from Matthew 18 that he wants to share with you and if you'd like to learn more about this ministry or to see what resources are available for today's topic, please visit us online Insight world.org before we move ahead. I want to remind you that we've hand selected one of Chuck's Hallmark books to complement your study in the book of Matthew today I'm directing your attention to the grace awakening in the grace awakening Chuck assures us none of us can attain God's standard of perfection and we need to stop trying. Our only hope is found in submitting to the gift of God's amazing grace over the years God has used the grace awakening to help strengthen believers who would allow their grace muscles to atrophy and now we're looking forward to helping a whole new generation experience God's life-changing gift of grace is only possible. Of course, because loyal friends like you step forward with voluntary donations. Your gifts allow us to provide Chuck's teaching on your radio station and the many other platforms such as our mobile app the website and the daily podcast it simple to participate.

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