We all want to be great. Most of us want to be remembered for doing something impactful that changed lives before leaving Earth. The hard part is knowing if we’re becoming great through God’s or society’s approval. It’s important to dissect the Word and glean characteristics from those we consider spiritually great. Despite their many sins and mistakes, with the exclusion of Jesus, multiple people have done great things. Greatness doesn’t mean you will be known to the masses, but you will impact those connected to your earthly life and your greatness will travel with you to the next life. Let’s explore some biblical ideologies of being great.
Served vs. Service
Society pictures great people as those with power who have others working under them and serving them results that can be attached to their names. Indeed, God wants us to work together, but in a way that fulfills a collective need. The collective need can be internally within the structure of an organization and externally for the people organizations are called to help. Matthew 23:11 says, “The greatest among you will be your servant.”
So, if we want to be great, we serve instead of being served. Whether our name is exalted is irrelevant, but I will share that Matthew 23:12 says, “…those who humble themselves will be exalted.” God loves to reward us when our heart is pure! Service keeps us aware of others’ needs and stops us from focusing only on ourselves.
Start by studying Jesus in Matthew or Moses in Genesis. Their names are great because of all they did to serve God’s people. Your name will be great if you have the attitude of servanthood, and this posture will build trust and respect in all environments you step into.
Demote Your Position
Greatness is not in a position or title. True greatness is found in humility and the willingness to lower ourselves to lift others up. As Paul writes in Philippians 2:3, we should, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.” We may be able to trick humans into believing we are selfless, but we cannot trick God who knows our heart. If we discover selfishness in our hearts, we can pray for God to drive it out of us because He is patient and doesn’t condemn us for our sins.
A boss who still asks for employee feedback demonstrates humility and awareness that he or she is simply a function of what keeps the business going, just like everyone else.
We should humble ourselves to devalue positions and titles and value the opinions of our helpers and customers.
God Appoints Authority
Greatness and leadership come from divine appointment, not human ambition. A pattern with characters in the Bible is their desire to gain what God has already promised to them or someone else. In the end, the outcome doesn’t change, and these characters find they’ve wasted time and created trauma in their life story. Read Romans 13:1-5 as part of it says, “The authorities that exist have been established by God.”
Understanding that God grants us authority and greatness keeps us humble and dependent on His guidance. This encourages us to lead with integrity and appoint the right people to the proper roles in our businesses and organizations.
We become effective stewards of His blessings when we acknowledge all we have is God-given. Becoming great involves a shift in perspective that will change our lives for eternity, so let’s strive to serve others with love (1 Corinthians 13:13) and show the world what true greatness is. I have faith in you.
Sheridan C. Watkins is a journalist and the owner of Perennial Peaces, a jewelry and gifts brand focused on transcending self worth to all women. Her true work began after climbing out of a dark place with the help of God and therapy, and her life mission is to provide tangible peace through her Divine gifts to help women heal and transform their lives. Follow the mission on Instagram and Facebook: @perennialpeaces.
