We all want to be great, do great. We want to be successful in who we are and what we do. But the pursuit of true greatness is the antitheses of everything the world will tell us – and it is impossible to escape that ubiquitous influence.

I find that every morning the Word is there to correct my thinking, and I hope, my behavior. Diane and I have been reading The One Year Bible (NLT) together. This morning’s passage in the New Testament was another reminder of the paradox of the Christian to greatness.

The Greatest in the Kingdom (Mark 9:33–37)

After they arrived at Capernaum and settled in a house, Jesus asked his disciples, “What were you discussing out on the road?” But they didn’t answer, because they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest. He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.” Then he put a little child among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes not only me but also my Father who sent me.”

“Be Great, Serve”