GLEANINGS FROM THE SCRIPTURES IN SEARCH OF GREATNESS By Keith L. Estes The disciples of Jesus believed that He would set up an immediate earthly kingdom and were desirous to obtain the highest position for themselves. They were so concerned that they openly argued with one another on which one should be the greatest. The study Bible asks the question- is it wrong to desire greatness- to be a great salesperson, a great athlete, a great scholar, or a great performer? Shouldn't we all seek excellence in what we do? Does God not want us to experience great achievements? Jesus words to the disciples touch on this complex issue. As He did so often, the Lord challenged the motives of His followers rather than their desires. He realized that they wanted greatness for its own sake, in order to lord it over others. They sought position and power as means to personal gain, not service to others. Let's follow the scripture on this theme: "And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child, and set him by him, And said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me; for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great. The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. For whether is greater, he that sitteth at table, or he that serveth. Christ asks us to take the posture of the servant- to genuinely concern ourselves with the rights, the needs, and the welfare of those we lead. Christ Himself has provided the example of true servant leadership: not to be served, but to serve and to give. In the gospel of Matthew we are reminded, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve. (Mat. 20:28) Oswald Chambers mentions “Once we realize that Jesus Christ has served us even to the depths of our meagerness, our selfishness, and our sin, nothing we encounter from others will be able to exhaust our determination to serve others for his sake.” The world's system of leadership is very different from the Kingdom's. Some worldly leaders are often selfish and arrogant as they claw their way to the top. But among Christians, the leader is to be the one who serves best. There are different styles of leadership-some lead through public speaking, some through administering, some through relationships-but all leaders need a servant's heart. The search for greatness is found in being a servant. The disciples were arguing among themselves who would be the greatest and Jesus answered their question by reminding them "That if any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all." However, as a postscript, He assured His disciples that because they had remained loyal to Him that they would surely receive a kingdom and that they would eat and drink at His table and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. References: Luke 9: 46-48, 22: 24-30. Return to Home Page Return to Current Edition Contact us