Growing up I didn’t feel very important because of a lot of criticism I received and focusing on the wrong things to give me worth. I felt bad not to feel important. So, I devised various ways I could feel important, like getting good grades, being good in sports, looking the best I could and getting my name in the paper. But I still struggled with self-esteem as these idols didn’t give me the greatness I sought.
Most of us believe that we become more important when we achieve, gain power, or make wealth. But do we? We often allow other people to tell us what our value is. But this is dangerous. We could easily pass the test with others and fail miserably God’s assessment of our lives.
We often respect bosses that drive hard those they supervise to gain results. But God is more impressed with bosses who serve those they supervise (Matthew 20:25-26). Who would have thought that greatness to God came from serving?
True greatness comes as a gift from God, not as a payment for making ourselves great in the eyes of others. God says to each of us who has trusted him, that we are precious, honored, and loved (Isaiah 43:4). No amount of money, power, and achievements can get this greatness in the eyes of God.
But it is costly to gain this greatness. I had to give up what little greatness I had earned to accept the greatness that God offered me for free by inviting me to be a part of his royal family. I had to give up control of my life to a God who loved me but had his own ideas about the life I was to live. I had to delay marriage for a few years, and give up two promising careers, one in the Air Force and one in County Government. I lost the approval of my parents and some of my friends.
But it was worth it having a meaningful purpose in life and the hope of living in heaven forever. I sought the greatness that God offered and the rewards he promised to give me one day in heaven.
So, then how do we become great? By serving others and God. This is a big paradigm shift for most of us who have been trained to be independent and the captain of our souls. But God says, “The greatest among you shall be your servant” (Matthew 23:11). What does that mean? It means putting God’s approval above everyone else’s and serving him and others instead of our own selfish desires. But how do we do this? What if we are narcissistic and self-centered and don’t care much about what God or people need?
The secret is that we need to be transformed by God. We can’t genuinely serve God and people effectively without undergoing this gradual transformation. I have been on this journey for 52 years. Big changes that have occurred include a new lifestyle, an intimate relationship with God, and denying some of my needs to serve others and being joyful about it. Areas where God still needs to transform me include trusting him more and worrying less, being a more positive thinker, and seeking his glory more and mine less.
How do we cooperate with God for him to transform us and enable us to become great? Trusting in and obeying him are key to cooperating. And how do we do that? Trust comes from hearing him through reading the Bible and meditating on it (Romans 10:17), Obeying him happens when we cease trusting ourselves to run our lives, and follow him each day as he leads us according to his plan for our lives.
I feel sad that so many of us have been fooled by the devil in pursuing greatness the wrong ways. We will fail to achieve greatness as a result. True greatness is found in humbly accepting our limited role in life and doing what the Master tells us to do. May we all allow God to disciple us by whatever means he chooses and transform us into humble servants of others and God. Then we will be great!
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