Are You a Great One?

Wherever I go I hear people raving about great people. Movie stars, pop stars, sports stars, great statesmen and even Christian stars are exalted. When some of these stars appear in public and are noticed, they are immediately surrounded by people requiring an autograph. In some people’s eyes these people are something - they’re great. We don’t even have to look that far. In our own communities we have people we consider great – pastors, doctors, mayors, etc.

Don’t we often covet greatness? ‘I wish I was like that.’ Many of us strive toward it. To those it is an ambition to be great in the eyes of men. But we can even reduce the circle even more. Some people strive to be great in their immediate circle of friends and work colleagues. We want to look good and impress.

“And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, ‘Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.’ And he said to them, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ And they said to him, ‘Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory’ (Mark 10:35-37).” They wanted to be great.

“And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, ‘What were you discussing on the way?’ But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, ‘If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.’ And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, ‘Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me’ (Mark 9:33-37).”

“But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, ‘Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.’ (Mark 10:14, 15).”

How do you want to appear to people - as a great person or as simple and childlike? And to God? One doesn’t need to be childish to be childlike. You can still do mature exploits and accomplish great goals, but it’s the attitude with which it’s done that counts.

Little children believe their parents, they depend on their parents for their every need, they try to impress and please their parents, they’re quick to respond to discipline, etc.

The great ones are those who simply obey God in thought and action, whether you are a preacher to thousands or to a few, an inner room intercessor, an encourager, an exhorter or a giver. Any service to the Lord in obedience is great in His eyes, doesn’t matter what the people think.

“For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned (Romans 12:3).”