24 A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. 25 Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. 26 But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. 27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.
-Luke 22:24-27 NIV
Greatness. Inside all of us is an ambition to achieve greatness. You don’t want to be mediocre. No, you want to be great. You want to excel, and if you are like me, you have a stack of self-help books and workout equipment to prove it.
We often have an image of what greatness looks like. How the ‘greats’ carry themselves. How they are received when they walk into a room. How they are able to get things done. The awards they receive. The book deals they sign. The places and spaces they are invited to. The corner office they work in. The cars they drive. The home they live in. The resorts they stay at while on vacation.
Our image of greatness most certainly includes being highly regarded, rewarded, and sought after.
Jesus’ idea of greatness looks radically different. Great leaders aren’t necessarily the ones sitting in the places of honor. And they aren’t the ones lording their authority over others. Instead, they are like those who serve. They are in the business of waiting on and helping others. They aren’t seeking applause; they are seeking to make a difference.
This is how Jesus led. He was a servant, and the greatest servant of all. If we aspire to this type of counter-cultural greatness, we must embrace a rare and understated character trait: humility.
It’s one thing to commit yourself to acts of service. In truth, anyone can do that— even the most selfish, shady, and ego-driven. It’s another thing entirely to view yourself as a servant, and to measure success by the people you help. That requires humility, a humility that reflects the character of Christ and brings glory to God.
So today, how will you choose to view yourself? Are you successful because of your skill, experience, and proven results? Or are you growing in greatness because you choose to serve others like Jesus did? Will you embrace humility and become a servant to all?