Greatness?

There’s an interesting conversation recorded in Mark 9:34-39.  The disciples are debating who is the greatest, most liked, most important, or best disciple out of the twelve.  

This may sound familiar.  I’m the best.  No, I’m the best.  

I should be first because I’m the oldest.  

The promotion should’ve been mine.  I have the most experience.  I am the most qualified. 

Have you ever had those thoughts?  Of course you have.  Everyone does.  

If we stay with the disciples’ debate a little longer, we see that they are interrupted by Jesus.  And He lovingly points out that His friends have missed the point.  Jesus says, “Anyone who wants to be first (or great) must be the very last, and the servant of all.”

In today’s world that does not sound right.  It seems like all we hear and see is, “I have to be better than…”  “They have how many followers?”  “Look how great our life is.”  And this drives us one of two ways.  Some folks respond by trying harder.  Working longer hours.  Sharing more of their lives with strangers all with the hopes of “going viral”.  On the other hand, many head the opposite direction and close off, build walls and hide.  Resolved to the idea that “I do not measure up.”  So, I will just sit here and stew in my own self pity.

Neither tactic gets us where we want to go.  We still come up short.  We still have a longing in our hearts for something we just cannot seem to reach.  Jesus knew we would struggle with a huge desire to matter and be important.  He also knew we would search for it in the wrong places.

One of the greatest desires we have as humans is to feel joy.  Joy and happiness seem to go hand in hand, but joy is a deep running idea that fills our souls.  Joy is a byproduct of love.  We feel great joy when we are loved.  Being loved is an indescribable feeling.  Joy just seems to bubble up from a never-ending source when we walk in true love.

Love and joy work in two directions.  We know how we feel when we are loved.  But Jesus was trying to get His friends, and now us, to realize that true joy comes from loving others.  When you and I take on the role of a servant or as Jesus said, become last, that is when joy will flood our lives.

Think about this.  You may know someone like this, they seem to have everything.  Great job.  Great house.  Great car.  Great everything on the outside, but they are always angry, frustrated, negative, and miserable to be around.  Then there is the person that seems to give, share, help, and serve everyone they meet.  They may not have the “greatest” of everything, yet what a life they live!  And their joy is contagious.

Jesus is giving us a backdoor into the joyous life we all long for, it just doesn’t look like we think it should look.  But when you decide to let go of what the world around you is saying and dive in to Jesus’ way of tackling life, joy will flood your soul!