Jesus radically transformed how we value children, elevating them from property to precious beings worthy of love and protection. In His message to the church at Sardis, Jesus warned about appearing spiritually alive while being dead inside. The city's history of falling to enemies despite seeming impregnable parallels the spiritual danger of complacency. Five key lessons emerge: things are not as they seem, our choices matter, even a little faith is enough for God to build on, childlike faith is essential, and Jesus' warnings always come with promises. No matter our spiritual condition, Jesus desires to claim us as His own.