June 26

Mark 9:36‑37
“He took a child, and set him in the midst of them and when He had taken him in His arms, He said unto them, Whosoever shall receive one of such children in My name, receiveth Me: and whosoever shall receive Me, receiveth not Me, but Him that sent Me”—Mark 9:36, 3736And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them, 37Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me. (Mark 9:36‑37).
BECAUSE of their confiding trust and guileless simplicity, little children were recognized by the Lord Jesus Christ as the ideal subjects of the kingdom of heaven. It was a child whom He called and set in the midst as an illustration to His disciples of what His followers should be. Notice the order. Jesus called. The child came. He was placed in the midst. To hear His voice, to obey His Word, and to trust His grace is to insure recognition from the Lord of heaven. Pride, which is so natural to sinners, who have nothing to be proud of, is hateful to God. “Though the Lord be high, yet hath He respect unto the lowly: but the proud He knoweth afar off” (Psa. 138:66Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off. (Psalm 138:6)). Our colored friends are right when they sing:
“The quickest way up is down;
You may climb up high
And try and try,
But the quickest way up is down.
―Negro Spiritual.