From the desk of Pastor Ben

Despising Other Believers

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones.”     (Matthew 18:10a)

Jesus’ negative command here is a stern warning (the grammar in the Greek intensifies the warning) strongly implying God’s displeasure with disobedience of it. Our Lord had already established the seriousness of harming any of God’s children — it would be better for such a violator “to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matthew 18:6).

To despise literally means “to think down on,” or to look down on another person as inferior or not worthy of consideration or care, and to treat him or her with contempt. So, Jesus warns us not to treat a fellow believer — one of the Father’s precious children — with disdain and contempt.

In the context of what had just happened with Jesus and the apostles, He was instructing them that their arguing over who was the greatest was a form of despising God’s little ones — in this case each other. As each one exalted himself, he was pushing his fellow apostles down. Instead of proudly elevating himself, each one should have been showing concern for the others and building them up. As Paul encouraged the Philippians:

“Do nothing from selfish or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who . . . humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”     (Philippians 2:3-6a, 8)

Ask Yourself:
The habit of making comparisons has a way of turning personal temperaments and preferences into points of extreme judgment and disapproval of others. Have you let this become a favorite sport or pastime in your life? What does it usually leave you feeling like when you’re done?