True Greatness

True Greatness

Read: Matthew 20:20-28

“Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.”

Matthew 20:26

“He who stays not in his littleness, loses his greatness.”

—Francis de Sales

IN WORD It doesn’t take us long as Christians to realize that the world’s value system is in direct contrast to God’s. In fact, to arrive at the world’s measuring stick, we could almost simply turn God’s measuring stick upside down. Those things He values most rate low on the world’s scale; and those things the world greatly values rarely place very high on God’s scale of importance. The world values achievement, reputation, wealth, self-assurance, prestige, and the like. Not so with God. Jesus says that greatness can be found in servanthood. This runs so counter to our human nature that few Christians have experienced this truth.

What is true servanthood? Many mistake it for slavery—being on call for the whims and pleasures of another. Biblical servanthood is different. It actively seeks the true well-being of others. Just as Jesus served His disciples and us in a completely unexpected way—dying for sins rather than overthrowing our earthly enemies—we are called to do what’s best for others, even if they don’t know how to define that. It deepens their relationship with God and further establishes them in the kingdom. It demonstrates grace.

IN DEED Do we spend our days looking for those whom we might serve? Probably not. Our own agendas—godly though they may be—become so large and consuming that we rarely depart from them, at least not without feeling inconvenienced. Yet servanthood is integral to the gospel. Nowhere else does Jesus give us a path to greatness. Our desire to accomplish great things for God’s kingdom can only be fulfilled on this principle. Need an illustration? Think of a life that began in a lowly stable and ended in human sacrifice for the sins of the world. It was servanthood from beginning to end. And no greater life was ever lived.