December 3

Matthew 18:3

And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus said that we must be converted. Instead of smug, self-confident know-it-alls with all the answers we need to acknowledge that God is God, that He formed us and created all that exists. Forget the flattery of self-aggrandizement and pseudo-intellectualism….leaning back in a chair with hands clasped behind the head, musing with arched eyebrows about how at one time long ago there was nothing; and then suddenly, from this nothing, VOILA……there came something! Then, mirabile dictu, this something that came from nothing exploded; then it became super-heated and expanded etc. etc. No, no, no. With child-like faith we must acknowledge God as the Creator and Jesus as His son who died on the cross in our place for our sins that we might have eternal life. This step from self-flattery to simple faith is called conversion. And Oh the change! Oh the joy of leaving all in the hands of our kind, heavenly Father and entering newness of life with Jesus our Savior. This radical change reminds me of the conversion of a butterfly as it emerges from its’ chrysalis state and flutters off happily to a completely new existence. Jesus said that you must be thusly converted and changed, or……….YE SHALL NOT ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.

Commentary by Francis L. Harris

"...what must I do to be saved?" Acts 16:30