The Leastest or the Greatest?

Luke 7:28  I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

Interesting verse. I wonder why Jesus said this?

Jesus, of course, in this text identified how great John (the Baptist) was. John’s mission (successfully completed) was great and John performed it with great humility.

I suppose Jesus said this to give believers in Christ great hope that as great as John was that they could be greater.

1 Corinthians 12:12-31, illustrates God’s people as a body. I don’t know what body part John was just like I don’t know what body part I am or what body part you are. But I do know that whatever part we are the body of Christ needs all of its parts… that’s important.

I also know that the members of the body had God given spiritual gifts and could perform miracles but that the spiritual gifts (as great as they were) were not greater than love. Although God worked through people with spiritual gifts we are the ones who control how we work our love.

So you may not have the great mission that John the Baptist had but we still have a great mission… a world wide mission.

The only way therefore that we can be greater than someone like John the Baptist is in the mission of love that we demonstrate to each other and to the world. Even the least in the Kingdom can be great in love. Love is the greatest.