What would make you and your life great? Consider that for a moment before continuing to read!
Our definition of greatness may contain some of the following: fame, wealth, power, exceptional skill, intellect or influence. If we conducted a poll, the greatest men and women of the last century may include JFK, Winston Churchill, Martin Luther King Jr., Billy Graham, Mother Teresa, Princess Di, Bill Gates, Elvis, the Beatles, Michael Jordan and Babe Ruth to name a few.
My personal list of great people includes: Francis Schaeffer, Henry Cloud, Dave Ramsey, Billy Graham, Rick Warren and Mike Huckabee. From the above definition of greatness, they have the qualities of fame, wealth, intelligence and influence. But I value most the positive influence they each have had on thousands, if not millions of people (myself included). To me, they are great men. Not perfect, not without fault, but great none the less. If I were to fulfill greatness based on my definition, it would be to positively influence many people. But is that really greatness?
When I hear preachers promise believers a great life and that God has great plans for them without defining the “great,” it makes me a little uncomfortable. If we automatically assume our default definition of great, we may be way off the mark. God’s definition of “great” stands in contrast to ours like white against gold. White being our understanding of greatness, gold being His. Notice I didn’t use black, because His definition of great isn’t opposite to our typical definition, it is just “different.” And gold is better than white (at least I think so, and since it is my analogy, I’ll use it), as His great is better than our great.
A few of God’s ideas about greatness:
The disciples were arguing about who would be greatest.
Luke 9:47 Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him. 48 Then he said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.”
Evidently they argued about being great more than once.
Luke 22:24 A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. 25 Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. 26 But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. 27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.
1. Bottom line, the greatest is the servant.
Matthew 23:11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
(see also Mark 9:33-36; 10:37-45, Matthew 18:1-5; 20:20-28)
2. If you are in God’s kingdom, you are greater than John the Baptist, the greatest man born of woman. (Luke 7:28; Matthew 11:11)
3. A gentle and quiet spirit is of great worth to God. (I Peter 3:4)
4. Genuine faith has a greater worth than gold. (I Peter 1:7)
5. Faith, hope and love remain. Love is the greatest. (I Corinthians 13:13)
And Christians do have a great life – one receiving grace, mercy, forgiveness, peace, love and joy with the freedom through Christ to extend those to others. It is great! A better great!
To recap:
Our definition of greatness— fame, wealth, power, exceptional skill, intellect or influence.
God’s definition of greatness—being a servant, being a child of God, having a gentle/quiet spirit, having genuine faith and love.
Quite a contrast to what we may have first considered “great”! So once again, I’ll ask the question. Are you great?