[26] “Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. [27] And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave— [28] just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” — Matthew 20:26-28 NKJV
In life, everyone wants to be great. Ask that small child, especially those living in cities, what kind of work he wants to do in future, and he’ll not tell you a menial job. So if even children desire greatness, how much more mature people? You see, desiring greatness isn’t evil; it’s good. But how you define greatness will determine what you’ll do to nurture that desire in you.
Jesus, by whom and for whom everything in the universe was created (see Colossians 3:16), defined how to become great in God’s kingdom in Matthew 20:26. It’s simple – that person must serve. But what kind of servanthood was Jesus talking about?
Jesus was speaking to twelve disciples when He said, “… whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.” The last “your” in that statement referred to all the disciples except the one who wanted to be the greatest amongst them. That means Jesus was teaching them that to become great in God’s kingdom, one must become the chief servant of many. Therefore, greatness is connected to achievements, but only the kind that results in benefiting many people, not those whom the doer does to make a name for himself.
From today, dear reader, don’t focus on exalting your name for whatever you do. It’s good to build a legacy in life, but all those things will fade away when you’re no more. Serve the Ancient of Days, the One whose name has never faded away with grace and gladness in your heart (see Hebrews 12:26, Psalm 100:2). He will give you an inheritance amongst the saints (Acts 20:32).
You’re a blessing.
Prayer:
Father, help me define greatness according to Your revelation. Make my life relevant unto many for the impact of Your kingdom. In Jesus’ name. Amen!
Devotional Code: KGD – 2024 – 093