Matthew 23:11 (KJV)
But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
One of the things Christ had to confront His disciples was their mentality and mindset about greatness. They were still holding on to the mentality of their environment as it defined what constitutes greatness. Their mindset was wrapped up in thinking that a great person was or is that person who others served. One who had great material wealth. One who commanded such influences and affluence.
So for the disciples as of the time, while Christ was teaching them this lesson they quarreled among themselves as to who will sit on the place of prominence in the kingdom of God. You see, one of the hallmarks of a changed life or a transformed life is evidenced by the mindset one possesses as it relates to what greatness is especially in God’s Kingdom.
Jesus established that greatness is not in the abundance of what we possess nor is it in the power we command but in the service we offer. In this kingdom service to God and others in the spirit of humanity is what makes one great. It is contrary to the definition of greatness in the world. So we are admonished to serve in love. Now to serve in love implies that my actions towards you or God be motivated by pure good and not an ulterior motive. To serve in love implies that am willing to make sacrifices that naturally may be painful but my focus in doing so is the glory of God.
To serve in love implies that am not serving you as a way of controlling you. But rather I do so as a way of honoring God in your life. So it is not just to serve one another but how we do it matters. We must overcome this Christianity of eye service. We must overcome this mentality of worldly concept of greatness that fosters greed and covetousness. We must be people who truly embrace the true meaning of greatness as shown us by Jesus Christ our example.
Don’t tell me I love God when you don’t serve Him nor one another. Don’t tell me I love God when He can’t count on you to be consistent in anything He commits in your hands to do for Him and others. True love is both sacrificial and available. You are blessed and highly favored.
Shalom,
Apostle Morgan.