Good Morning Friends,
“They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them,
‘What were you arguing about on the road?’
But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the
greatest. Sitting down, Jesus called the
Twelve and said, ‘If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and
the servant of all.’” (Mark 9:33-35)
What are the marks of greatness?
Every list would include power. The powerful of the world are considered
great. In a street gang everyone looks
to the leader – he is the one with the power – he is the greatest in the
gang. In politics, those who are
considered great are those who can wield the greatest power – who have the most
influence. In a company, it is the
people on the top rungs of the ladder – the ones with power – who are
considered the greatest in the organization.
In our world, wealth would have to be put on
the list of the marks of greatness, too.
People like Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, and others with their caliber of
wealth are sought after for their advice and for their checkbooks. They are considered great because of their
success. It is measured in dollars and
possessions.
Fame and popularity make others great. Talent makes people great. There are several marks of greatness that we
can all think of. From a human
perspective we know what greatness looks like and what marks it. It is obvious in the world.
Or is it?
The marks that the world considers when it measures greatness are not the
same marks by which God measures greatness.
Jesus said that the greatest are not those at the head of the line, but
those willing to put themselves at the end of the line and give preference to
others. The greatest are not the rulers
and bosses and kings – but the servants who put the needs of others before
their own needs.
God has a different perspective on greatness from
that of the world. So, whose measure of greatness
are you pursuing?
His, by Grace,
Steve
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