Matthew 11:7-11

“Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” vs. 11

Jesus gives a glowing endorsement of John the Baptist, naming him as the greatest of the prophets, but then he knocks him off his pedestal by saying that the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. At first those words seem puzzling, but when we realize that Jesus isn’t attacking John personally, we can begin to understand. Like the prophets of old John was skilled at pointing out humanity’s brokenness, but his primary message for those who were broken was judgment. As the old aphorism puts it, John had come “to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable.” Now Jesus could do that too, and we can hear that stinging rebuke in his voice as he chastises the rich and the powerful. But Jesus had a vision of the Peaceable Kingdom that has its roots in Isaiah and Jeremiah, but that became a reality in his message of forgiveness and love. Brokenness in his Kingdom is addressed not by words of judgment but reconciliation and restoration. In him we experience unconditional love and the power of life-changing grace. Cleansed by the fire of the Spirit we are set free to blossom and bring forth the fruit that’s changing the world, one person at a time.

Thought for the Day: What has been the most fruitful period of my life?