Be Great!

By: Adam McClendon
www.newlineministries.com

I remember being a kid and wanting so bad to be great.  It wasn’t that I wanted to be great at one specific thing, I just wanted to be great at anything.  I was a tall, skinny kid with little athletic ability.  Don’t get me wrong, I was okay at a lot of things, but great at nothing.

One day after watching Superman, I remember thinking that maybe greatness was just buried down deep within me and I just needed to believe in myself more.  Maybe, after all, I was just like Superman who didn’t realize his true identity when he was young.

So, in my front yard, I took three quick steps and jumped in the air landing on my feet.  Nothing happened.  Okay, maybe I didn’t believe enough.  I knew I had to really believe and jump into this thing, so I did it again.  This time, I barely landed on my feet.  Rats!  I still wasn’t flying.  Okay, this was it.  I had to sell out.  I took three steps, laid out into the air.  Immediately, I came crashing to the earth!     

At that moment, with the air still knocked out of me on the ground, I realized something.  I was never going to be great.  Greatness was beyond me…or so I thought.

Part of the problem throughout my life has been evaluating myself based upon the world’s criteria.  All too often, I strive for greatness in the eyes and standards of the world and not in the eyes of God.

Jesus shares how anyone can be great in God’s eyes in Matthew 5:18-19: “For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.  Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

But…whoever!  God’s measure of greatness is not based on our gender, worldly accomplishments, recording breaking ability, height, weight, race, wealth, intelligence, etc. but on the extent to which we walk in obedience to his word and teach others to do the same.

Let me say that again.  God’s measure of obedience is based on the extent to which we walk in obedience to his word and teach others to do the same.

Quit trying to be great in your parent’s, spouse’s, pastor’s, neighbor’s, or child’s eyes.  Stop competing with false standards.  You don’t have to go on a vacation every year, buy the best clothes and toys, or fly like Superman, but you have to walk in holiness before others and challenge them to do the same.  Be present, living out God’s word in every aspect of your life, investing Christ in the lives of others.

Christ loves you and gave himself for you, so that you can be great (Rom 5:8; Eph 2:10)!  If you are a Christian, the potential for greatness is in you through the enabling work of the Spirit of the living God!  You can walk in holiness!  You can live in obedience to the King!  Don’t believe the lie of the enemy.  Don’t listen to the world.  Today, choose whom you will serve.  Today, choose to be great in God’s eyes!

 

www.newlineministries.com