Matthew 18:
Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child,
the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus meant it as a contrast. If one lowers himself like a little child in this world, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. I am thinking about my own kids. Before a certain age, they would ask me for answers when they didn't understand something. One time, my #1 son was arguing with a neighbor kid. He brought the kid to settle the dispute and asked me to sort it out for them. Little kids are teachable. Similarly, we should be like little kids before our heavenly Father.
NIV:
Children are not particularly humble. What does Jesus mean by this?4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child,
the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus meant it as a contrast. If one lowers himself like a little child in this world, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. I am thinking about my own kids. Before a certain age, they would ask me for answers when they didn't understand something. One time, my #1 son was arguing with a neighbor kid. He brought the kid to settle the dispute and asked me to sort it out for them. Little kids are teachable. Similarly, we should be like little kids before our heavenly Father.
NIV:
Matthew 23:Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.