We all have an opinion of what it means to be “great.” For some, greatness means achieving high career or financial success. For others, being “great” means having a good reputation.” Some say “greatness” means having particular talents and skills. When Jesus came, He completely redefined what it means to be great. He taught His followers that greatness is not about achieving career, financial, or relational success. It is about serving the people around us.
Even Jesus’ disciples had a misunderstanding of what it means to be great. In Matthew 20, the mother of two of Jesus’ disciples, James and John, came to Jesus and asked, “In your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left” (verse 21). The mother of James and John wanted her sons to be seen as great by having special seats of honor next to Jesus. Jesus responded to them, saying, “I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. My Father has prepared those places for the ones He has chosen” (verse 23). God the Father will choose who sits in the seats of honor beside Jesus. Scripture teaches that Jesus’ other disciples “were indignant” when they heard about the request of James and John to sit at Jesus’ right and left (verse 24). As a result, Jesus gathered His disciples and said, “Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave” (verses 26-27). In this moment, Jesus redefined greatness. True greatness, according to Jesus, is serving Him and the people around us. If we want to be great, we must serve.
My friend, it is time that we take Jesus' definition of greatness seriously. Instead of trying to make a name for ourselves and impress those around us, we must develop the mindset of servants, seeing the needs of those around us and caring for them. This is what it truly means to be great.
After you read through the verses in the Going Deeper section below, write down your own definition of what success means according to Christ. Then, as you go throughout your day, set out to model greatness according to Christ's definition of what it means to be great. Ask Him to help you as you set out to live this way.
17 As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside privately and told them what was going to happen to him. 18 “Listen,” he said, “we’re going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die. 19 Then they will hand him over to the Romans to be mocked, flogged with a whip, and crucified. But on the third day he will be raised from the dead.”
20 Then the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus with her sons. She knelt respectfully to ask a favor. 21 “What is your request?” he asked.
She replied, “In your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.”
22 But Jesus answered by saying to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?”
“Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!”
23 Jesus told them, “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup. But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. My Father has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen.”
24 When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. 25 But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 26 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. 28 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
29 As Jesus and the disciples left the town of Jericho, a large crowd followed behind. 30 Two blind men were sitting beside the road. When they heard that Jesus was coming that way, they began shouting, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
31 “Be quiet!” the crowd yelled at them.
But they only shouted louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
32 When Jesus heard them, he stopped and called, “What do you want me to do for you?”
33 “Lord,” they said, “we want to see!” 34 Jesus felt sorry for them and touched their eyes. Instantly they could see! Then they followed him.
