Great Ones!

What is among the things that have made Jesus most worthy of our praise and thanksgiving? What is it that truly marks HIS GREATNESS? Is it that He is Deity? ( Matthew 1:23; John 1:1-2, 14) Is it that He had power to work great miracles? ( Matthew 11:4-5) How about His marvelous wisdom? ( John 7:14-15) Is it because He is King immortal ( 1 Timothy 1:17), “Lord of lords and King of kings”? ( Revelation 17:14) Certainly these references and others indicate very clearly our LORD’S GREATNESS! All of this puts Jesus at the top! He is to be viewed Supreme above all.

When people aim for greatness the perspective is not always where it ought to be. Jesus dealt with the subject of greatness on more than one occasion with His disciples. What Jesus emphasized was different than the viewpoint of the world and it appears to have taken the disciples a while to grasp the right idea as they followed Him. How well are we doing at understanding the greatness to be associated with our own life?

Note one occasion when Jesus aimed at providing a proper perspective.
“(25) But Jesus called them to him and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. (26) It shall not be so among you. But whoever would BE GREAT among you must be your servant, (27) and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, (28) EVEN AS THE SON OF MAN CAME NOT TO BE SERVED BUT TO SERVE, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’” ( Matthew 20:25-28 ESV)

The world has its view of the “great ones”! However, Jesus said, “even as.” The proper understanding He urged toward was based on an aspect of HIS OWN LIFE. The greatness to which we are called is our LORD’S OWN GREATNESS of willing service. The truly “great ones” are those who are willing to humble themselves and aim to live and serve others LIKE JESUS did when He walked the face of this earth. This is an essence of HIS GREATNESS He wants us to share. It is unassuming. It is loving and even merciful. And it has power to impact the lives of others in more ways than we might imagine.

Have a great day ALLOWING JESUS TO BE OUR ROLE MODEL!
Carl

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