Everyone wants to be the best at something. For some, it’s football, basketball, or another sport. For others, it could be art, music, or writing. If you’re really adventurous, you might even want to be the best physicist or mathematician to walk the earth. Even the Guinness Book of World Records is full of people that have taken it upon themselves to be the best at something. Regardless of what we want to be the best in, the statement is still true. Everyone wants to be the best at something. We want to prove that we have the most talent, ability, skill in that field or work. To back up our claims of greatness, we can often go around trying to show off to everyone or make ourselves seem even more incredible than we actually are. After all—we are the BEST, right? Why shouldn’t we gloat a little?
This concept of trying to be the best is not new. Looking all throughout history, person after person or even nation after nation have played their hand at trying to be the best. Even Jesus’ closest followers would sometimes get into the ring with one another over who’s the best. On one particular occasion as Jesus and His apostles were traveling, Jesus “began to question them, ‘What were you discussing on the way?’ But they kept silent, for on the way they had discussed with one another which one of them was the greatest” (Mark 9:33-34). Though we don’t have recorded for us the specific conversation, we can certainly guess some of what the apostles were saying. “I’m the most faithful to Jesus.” “I started following Him before any of you did.” “We are part of His inner circle; we have been able to witness things none of the rest of you have.” The apostles were trying to put themselves at the highest level possible among themselves. However, when they were asked about it, they kept silent. Why is this? Who really was the greatest among them?
Now let’s think about this for a second. Out of everyone in the group of Jesus and His followers, who was the one person that could actually make the claims of being the greatest and be correct in saying so? Who had the most power, the most authority, the most faithfulness? JESUS! While the apostles are standing around arguing with each other about who is the best, they fail to recognize that Jesus is truly the greatest. Jesus could have very easily interjected in their conversation, saying, “This is ridiculous; none of you are the greatest! I am!” But He didn’t. Instead, He used this situation as a teaching moment: “Sitting down, He called the twelve and said to them, ‘If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all” (Mark 9:35). In all of His ministry, Jesus exemplifies this exact point. While He was the only one that truly deserved to be considered the greatest, He came to serve others instead. He did not come into the world to receive praise and glory for His magnificence. He came to die a cruel and painful death for everyone. He, being the greatest, was the last of all and the servant of all.
We all have a desire for greatness in our lives. We all set expectations and goals for ourselves to be the best. However, sometimes our pride in these desires can cause us to lose focus on what we should be doing and what greatness really is. In these times, we need to remember true greatness is defined and exemplified by being a servant. Jesus, in His ultimate greatness, chose to be a servant by submitting Himself and putting others first. If He did this in His life, we definitely need to do it in ours! I encourage each of us to not focus on being great ourselves but to live a life recognizing and following His greatness.
Spiritual Hites 