Where is God's heart?

Daily Bible Reading - January 15, 2010 - Matthew 18

If you look at this chapter, beginning to end, as a whole thought you begin to see God's heart. He talks about little children and their faith and the punishment that waits for those who cause them to sin. He speaks of the lost sheep. Of correcting another believer and wraps up with how many times we should forgive and a big story about a guy who was willing to receive mercy but not show it.

I think it's pretty clear where God's heart is - it's with the other guy.

I know, I know, it's hard to swallow, but only because we are so used to being number one. Getting what’s ours. Being first in line. We always want to know, "where's mine?!" when someone has something good happen to them. If your spouse goes to lunch with somebody you think, "I want to go to lunch" - that's not fair. Ah, fairness. Everything is supposed to happen under the great umbrella of fairness.

Fairness doesn't exist. Fairness is based on horizontal reasoning. Everything has to be equal for fairness to work and it never is.

The reality is that this whole chapter is a focus, not on the Christian who is in right standing with God, but the person who has the short end of the spiritual stick.

Little children can be manipulated and they believe everything you tell them - their innocent and God wants to protect them.

The lost sheep is about the one who steps out of the fold and gets lost - and Jesus, the good shepherd - leaves the flock to fend for themselves while He looks for the one that is lost.

Even the bit about correcting a brother is a set up for the next passage where Jesus points out that each of us who have a relationship with the King have been forgiven a huge debt! But we often go to those who only have a relationship with us (if he had a relationship with the king he would have borrowed from him) and demand repayment! We don't show the same grace and mercy to others that we ourselves have received.

So, in every part of this chapter God's focus is on the least, the lost, the little and the limited. It doesn't mean He doesn't care for us or love us... HE DIED FOR US! But He wants EVERYONE to be saved and come to a knowledge of His Son Jesus Christ. So His focus, His heart is for those who have not yet experienced that relationship with the King where He forgives everything.

My relationship with the King, should be reflected in my dealings with His subjects. I should treat them, as I have been treated... because I was once the little child, the sheep that wandered away, the one who needed to be restored and the one who couldn't repay the debt.