Being Great
What does it take to be great?
It will not be so among you; but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave; just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many. - Matthew 20:26-28
We don't often think of greatness in terms of slavery and servanthood, but that is how Jesus describes it.
The discussion begins with the mother of the sons of Zebedee asking for greatness for her boys.
She wants to be assured of a rightful place for them in the kingdom, at the seats of glory. But Jesus lays it out for her and for the two who provoked her to ask. That isn't how it works. Not in my kingdom.
Greatness is achieved through devotion of oneself to service, by being the servant of others, the giver, not the taker. It is something one can not ask for or take.
I think it is like a lifetime achievement award, something one is recognized for after they have done many things they may not have been recognized for. It is a destination one arrives at unexpectedly, when traveling somewhere else, for some other purpose.
To seek it is to lay claim to something one cannot grasp.
We should not try to be great, but instead try to be a source of light for others. Through that light, they will get a glimpse of the greatness within us. And the more we give of ourselves to them, the greater that light becomes.
So, go out there today and do great things. In the process, greatness will be revealed and the light will shine brightly through you.
More to come...