How do you view greatness? How does God view greatness? The world sees greatness much differently than God does. It defines greatness in terms of power and possessions. If you can demand service from others, you have arrived. In our self-serving culture with its “me first” mentality, acting like a servant is not a popular concept.
Jesus turned that mentality upside down and revealed to us, through both His words and His life, how God sees greatness.
Mark 10:42-45 (ESV)
42 And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
In the kingdom of God, serving one another is the foundation of greatness. All who profess to belong to Christ should be like Him. That is the point of Mark 10:45, and Jesus taught it even more clearly in the book of Luke.
Luke 6:40 (ESV)
40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.
The greatest demonstration of servanthood, outside of the cross, was when Jesus washed the feet of His disciples, and it teaches us clearly what it means to be a citizen in the kingdom of God (John 13:1-17). Do you want to be a better servant in God’s kingdom? Then you must realize that a real part of serving God, is serving His people.
Galatians 5:13 (ESV)
13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
Even the spiritual gifts that were given to saints in the first century church were to be used in service to other Christians. Listen to what Peter wrote about it.
1 Peter 4:10 (ESV)
10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:
Paul taught the same thing concerning the gifts they received in the church at Corinth. He told them that they received a manifestation of the Spirit “for the common good” (1 Corinthians 12:7). I know that we no longer have spiritual gifts among us today, but God has given all of us natural gifts and talents that we can use in the kingdom of God. And those gifts and talents should be used, first to glorify God, and then in service to each other.
If we want to be all that God expects us to be in the church today, we must realize that to serve Jesus is to serve one another. That is what makes one great in the eyes of God. It is not being served. It is serving others. How do you view greatness?
As you wind down for the night, think about these things.