10 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. 11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. 12 How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? 13 And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. 14 Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish. (Matthew 18:10-14 KJV)
The Parable of the Lost Sheep
Concerning offenses given by us to others, especially Christ’s little ones, we are warned, as stated in Matthew 18:6. The warning is clear: Take care that you do not look down on one of these little ones. Christ, who defends even the least of his church from enemies, is equally displeased when leaders in the church despise the weak.
This may refer literally to children, as Christ had been speaking of them (Matthew 18:2, Mt 18:4), or figuratively to true but weak believers, who resemble children in their humility or circumstances. We must not think poorly of them, mock their weaknesses, or treat them with indifference. Nor should we say, “If they are offended or confused, that’s not our concern.” Paul warns against this in Romans 14:3, Ro 14:10, Ro 14:15, Ro 14:20-21. We must not pressure others’ consciences or force them to follow our preferences but honor the sincerity of every believer.
We must be very careful not to despise them, even unknowingly. Some believers, in their own pride, had looked down on them while claiming to glorify God. But Christ warns that looking down on them brings danger and judgment. This warning applies especially to church leaders—who, unfortunately, are often more drawn to the influential, the intelligent, and the strong (not to mention the wealthy) than to the poor, the uneducated, and the weak in their congregations.
The reason is simple: they are not insignificant. Let us not despise those whom heaven values. First, their angels serve them. In heaven, their angels always behold the face of my Father (Matthew 18:10). Christ assures us of this truth. God’s angels serve the little ones for their good (Hebrews 1:14), surrounding and upholding them. While some believe each believer has a guardian angel, all believers have angelic protection when needed—especially the most vulnerable, who may lack worldly protection but are defended by heavenly hosts. While the powerful may rely on earthly guards, humble saints are guarded by angels, proving their worth and the danger of mistreating them.
Their angels also always behold the face of the Father, meaning they have constant access to God’s presence. This shows their joy and honor (Luke 1:19; Revelation 4:8) and their readiness to serve. Like attentive servants, they wait for God’s commands and act swiftly (Ezekiel 1:14). If we hope to see God’s face like they do (Luke 20:36), we should now be as ready to serve as they are (Acts 9:6).
Second, Christ’s purpose reinforces this care. The Son of Man came to save what was lost (Matthew 18:11). The angels’ service is grounded in Christ’s mission. He came to restore those who were lost, and this includes even the weakest believer. Our souls were naturally lost—like sheep astray or prisoners condemned. Christ came to save us, to bring us back, and give us life. Therefore, we must not despise those he came to redeem. If he gave himself for their salvation, how can we treat them lightly? See Romans 14:15 and 1 Corinthians 8:11–12. Christ is deeply concerned for souls, and he will be angry with those who hinder their salvation.
Third, the Father’s care for these little ones is shown through a parable (Matthew 18:12–13): A shepherd with a hundred sheep, if one is lost, leaves the ninety-nine to find the one. When he finds it, he rejoices more over that one than over those who never strayed. This applies both to lost humanity and to individual believers who have fallen into sin. Christ left heaven, suffered, and died to save them. Heaven rejoices over one who repents more than over many who never strayed. And if there is such joy in heaven over finding a little one, there is also judgment for those who led them astray.
Finally, the application (Matthew 18:14): It is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. This strengthens the call to avoid despising them. Believers, even the weakest, are in danger of perishing if left on their own, but God has promised to keep them. The strongest stand only by God’s power, and the weakest will not fall unless they neglect their faith. It is God’s revealed will that none—not even one—should perish. This should give every believer hope and should make all of us careful not to hinder the salvation of even the least among us.