From Mark 9:33-37 / Swept up – It is not about how great we are, but about how we receive all who are His, no matter how humble and still in need of maturity they may be. This issue will be followed up by the account of rebuking an exorcist because he “would not follow” them. The question was – is he following Christ! Is he doing His work and glorifying His name? ‎Mark expands Luke’s version by implying that Jesus sweeps the little guy into His arms as He talks about “receiving”. We cannot just say they are Christians in name only, we must embrace them. Even when that requires we discipline and correct. And, it paints the grandest, sweetest picture of all of us in our salvation – He has swept us up into His arms of grace, when we were so dull of hearing, immature of heart, and unable to do anything for Him at all. Just little children. Beloved by a condescending God, robed in human flesh.