FollowIt’s difficult to identify true greatness in our world today. Some would see it in 21-year-old Jordan Spieth winning the Masters Tournament in 2015. Others would look to Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, who became a billionaire at the young age of 23. These are great accomplishments, but are either a definition of true greatness?
Jesus was approached by two of His disciples who had a “small” request: “Permit one of us to sit at your right hand and the other at your left in your glory” (Mark 10:37, NET). They wanted to be great. They wanted influence. They wanted power. They wanted recognition. They wanted to matter!
Before we criticize them, let’s be honest: we all want these same things. We may not think we want power or recognition, but we all want our lives to matter. When we look at it in that way, we all want greatness, don’t we?
But what does it take to obtain true greatness? Can anyone be great — even those of us who are just average, or unintelligent, or disabled, or plagued by anxiety? In Mark 10:43, Jesus says, “whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant.” There we have it! The pathway that leads us into true greatness, real influence, and recognition has nothing to do with talents or accomplishments. True greatness is having the heart and practice of a servant.
So that’s it — we just need to serve others openheartedly. Sounds easy, right? Yet it’s not long before we discover how deeply Jesus cuts into our way of being.
Serving others isn’t something we can do just until we reach our goal of having a meaningful life. In fact, true greatness isn’t even something we can attain. Rather, true greatness is revealed by a life bound up in serving others. It never ends — it is a way of being that will extend into eternity.
Serving others is not something we do when we get around to it or can make time for it. It permeates our life. If we are to reflect our Father, it must be as natural as breathing.
Serving others challenges our sense of justice. We can’t do it only when someone serves us first or expresses appreciation for what we do. It’s something we do even when no one serves us in return and our efforts go unrecognized.
We serve because we are children of God. As children of the Kingdom, true greatness is not earned, but revealed, just as Christ’s greatness was revealed through His servanthood.
“But what about my ______________?” We all have a lot of “what abouts.” “What abouts” are detours that move us away from true greatness. True greatness is costly. Jesus made it clear: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). We cannot have a truly meaningful life, one marked by true greatness, without expecting to lay down our wants and needs to serve others wholeheartedly, just like Christ did.
Where do you begin? At Elim, we have many opportunities for you to join others in serving wholeheartedly. Many leaders are praying for servants who are eager to invest in the lives of others in the way Jesus describes. We need wholehearted servants for Sunday morning children’s ministries and the Awana ministry. Larry Short is praying for wholehearted leaders who will lead small groups. Kim Schlomer is praying for wholehearted leaders who will serve and disciple women at Elim. You can start — or continue — your life of service here in your own church body.
Every day we must face a choice. Will we spend our lives in pursuit of worldly greatness that will last but a moment? Or will we seek true greatness, a meaningful life of service to others?
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