March 31: Whoever will humble himself therefore and become like this little child [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving] is greatest in the kingdom of heaven."
1 Samuel chapters 16 and 17
1 Samuel 16:6-13
Amplified Bible (AMP)
6 When they had come, he looked on Eliab [the eldest son] and said, Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him.
7 But the Lord said to Samuel, Look not on his appearance or at the height of his stature, for I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.
8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. But Samuel said, Neither has the Lord chosen this one.
9 Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. Samuel said, Nor has the Lord chosen him.
10 Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, The Lord has not chosen any of these.
11 Then [he] said to Jesse, Are all your sons here? [Jesse] said, There is yet the youngest; he is tending the sheep. Samuel said to Jesse, Send for him; for we will not sit down to eat until he is here.
12 Jesse sent and brought him. David had a healthy reddish complexion and beautiful eyes, and was fine-looking. The Lord said [to Samuel], Arise, anoint him; this is he.
13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed David in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. And Samuel arose and went to Ramah.
Once again, the least becomes the greatest. God, on purpose, chose the one least expected to be chosen.
Isaiah 53:2-4
Amplified Bible (AMP)
2 For [the Servant of God] grew up before Him like a tender plant, and like a root out of dry ground; He has no form or comeliness [royal, kingly pomp], that we should look at Him, and no beauty that we should desire Him.
3 He was despised and rejected and forsaken by men, a Man of sorrows and pains, and acquainted with grief and sickness; and like One from Whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we did not appreciate His worth or have any esteem for Him.
4 Surely He has borne our griefs (sicknesses, weaknesses, and distresses) and carried our sorrows andpains [of punishment], yet we [ignorantly] considered Him stricken, smitten, and afflicted by God [as if with leprosy].
Matthew 19:30
Amplified Bible (AMP)
30 But many who [now] are first will be last [then], and many who [now] are last will be first [then].
Luke 22:26
Amplified Bible (AMP)
26 But this is not to be so with you; on the contrary, let him who is the greatest among you become like the youngest, and him who is the chief and leader like one who serves.
Luke 9:48
Amplified Bible (AMP)
48 And told them, Whoever receives and accepts and welcomes this child in My name and for My sake receives and accepts and welcomes Me; and whoever so receives Me so also receives Him Who sent Me. For he who is least and lowliest among you all—he is [the one who is truly] great.
Matthew 18:1-4
Amplified Bible (AMP)
18 At that time the disciples came up and asked Jesus, Who then is [really] the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
2 And He called a little child to Himself and put him in the midst of them,
3 And said, Truly I say to you, unless you repent (change, turn about) and become like little children [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving], you can never enter the kingdom of heaven [at all].
4 Whoever will humble himself therefore and become like this little child [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving] is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Philippians 3:10
Amplified Bible (AMP)
10 [For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [[a]which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope]11 That if possible I may attain to the [[a]spiritual and moral] resurrection [that lifts me] out from among the dead [even while in the body].
That I may share in His sufferings? Why would I want to be spit on, tortured, beaten to a bloody pulp, and ignored in my greatest hour of need by those I hold dear?
Because this is the ONLY way I'm going to be transformed into His likeness. I (my fleshly desires) must die. So that I can live.
"Dear God, once again Your word is splitting me wide open. Once again I fall on my face in humble repentance and fear. I want to be like You but do I want to share in Your sufferings? I must come to the place where I am willing to take up my cross and follow You. I must CLEAVE to You, Jesus. I give You ALL the glory and honor that belongs to you, Jesus. I pray this prayer in Your precious name, AMEN."
Luke 9:23
Amplified Bible (AMP)
23 And He said to all, If any person wills to come after Me, let him deny himself [[a]disown himself,[b]forget, lose sight of himself and his own interests, [c]refuse and give up himself] and take up his cross daily and follow Me [[d]cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also].
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