How Not To Be Great

Reference: Luke 9:46 Then his disciples began arguing about which of them was the greatest. 47 But Jesus knew their thoughts, so he brought a little child to his side. 48 Then he said to them, "Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me also welcomes my Father who sent me. Whoever is the least among you is the greatest."

Observation: Jesus saw greatness on a different scale than we often do. In fact, it seems that what Jesus is really saying is that there is no scale; that greatness and leastness are equal. All the things that we rank people on; money, status, influence, celebrity, are all lost on a little child. The wonder of children is that they love indiscriminately--they can be dear friends with another child who is totally different than they are, someone who has no "status" in our adult world and they dont even think in those terms.

This is what Jesus wants from us. As the Bible says in the book of James, the kinds of ranking that we nearly automatically do in our minds is really favoritism that God considers sin.

Beyond that, we are called, not to pursue greatness but to pursue love and service. We need to let God deal with how we are seen in the eyes of the world (greater or lesser) and keep our focus on the people around us that we can care for.

Application/Confession: I still struggle, at times, with wanting to be something great. I see other pastors growing large churches and getting recognition and I, at times, become jealous. God is teaching me that His love and closeness to Him is what really matters. He is showing me how to simply do what He gives me to do and get my leg out of the "greatness" trap. It is a hard lesson but one I am learning bit by bit.

PRAYER: Teach me to serve "the least of these" and remind me that, through them, I am serving you. Wipe from my mind this worlds greatness equation--help me to live without reference to its conclusions about me. I want to live for the applause of heaven alone.