Greatness

Introduction

The motives of people are not easily known. We can watch and observe, and it can be difficult to discern the real motives in a person’s heart. However, there are times when a person reveals their motives—whether they acted because they wanted to, to impress someone, to win, to make more money, or because they wanted to help.

While it isn’t easy to discern the motives of others, we know our own with great clarity. When we think about why we do what we do, we usually have some reason for our action. Students cheat on tests because they do not want to fail or do not want to study. And a student’s refusal to cheat speaks of their integrity.

One of the motives in the hearts of human beings is to succeed so that others recognize the success. It isn’t enough to succeed. For some, success is not real until others acknowledge it and are impressed by it. One of the more challenging aspects of our faith is to allow the thinking of Christ to infiltrate our thinking so much that we really are different in our approach in this world. This is challenging on so many levels, but for today our challenge is to understand what it really means to be great as God thinks about greatness. Here’s the truth—most of us already know what God thinks about greatness; we just aren’t sure his definition is worth it. But then the answer says something about our motives, and you are the one who can answer that.

Precious Children

There is some debate about our text. Some wonder if it is really a cohesive section, but it is. Greatness as seen through the illustration of a child is easily understood. The child is mentioned in verse 37 and again in verse 42. The argument is mentioned in verse 33, and again the need for peace is mentioned in verse 50, serving as parenthesis around the entire section. This section is not difficult to understand. It is far more difficult to live this way.

Mark does not tell us what started the argument between the disciples on the road. We are left to speculation. However, it is possible that the argument started this way: Peter speaks first. “You guys couldn’t heal that boy. If we had been with you guys, one of us could have done it, but instead we were with Jesus on top of the mountain. We promised not to tell what happened, but needless to say, we were really honored to be with him.”

Perhaps Philip replied, “You think you are so special.” And James and John do think they are pretty special according to Mark 10:35. Jesus knows what is going on, and so he gives them a principle to live by—if you want to be first, learn to be last serving others. To emphasize the intent, he brings a child into the discussion. To appreciate the depth of what Jesus is saying, we must understand what it means to be a child in Jesus’ day. Jewish people loved their children, but they were seen as weak. Only when they were able to keep the law did their value increase. They were thus insignificant. Jesus’ point is that one who wants to be first must choose to become last and servant to others.

But Jesus doesn’t stop there. He goes to the next level. If you want to boast of being connected to me, then you must be open to the insignificant, and your openness to the insignificant doesn’t mean you are connected to me only but you are also connected to the one who sent me—God. What about people who aren’t part of our group? John asks. Jesus says, don’t be arrogant and blind. The point isn’t about the man’s goodness. The point is about the man’s work—it points to God. Jesus is not endorsing goodness. He is endorsing that those whose actions lift up God is for him, so quit assuming that he is against us.

In fact, Jesus says it would be far better to be dead or maimed in some way than to arrogantly ignore and destroy a child. The focus is not on the child being ignored but the arrogance of one to ignore. The overarching theme of this entire section, generated by the disciples’ argument about who is the greatest, finds Jesus expressing in various ways one vital truth—humility is the attitude of one who follows Jesus. True greatness is found in serving.

Application

So what does that mean? Let’s start with what it doesn’t mean. Running yourself down is not humility. Thinking of yourself as less than others is not humility. To see yourself as worthless is not humility. Humility is a choice. Humility is choosing to serve rather than be applauded. Humility is choosing the lower position instead of the exalted position. Humility is choosing to set aside the belief of “I deserve” for the attitude of “let me serve.”

To seek personal greatness is the way of this world—to be noticed, to prove your value and worth. These are the practices of this world. But Jesus calls us to a different attitude. Look at verse 49. Jesus says that those who follow him will be salted with fire. This is an odd phrase unless we understand the roots of this image. In Leviticus 2:13 and Ezekiel 43:24, God commanded salt to be added to the sacrifices. This is the image Jesus has in mind. We are called to sacrifice for others, and when we do that, then we exalt Jesus and the gospel, not ourselves.

The core of humility is found in turning attention away from self and onto another. It is to take a lower position so that another can be exalted. Listen carefully: serving others is not an attempt to exalt another. Serving others is an outgrowth of our desire to exalt Jesus. This world is used to seeing people arrogantly run over others. This world endorses this attitude as long as one doesn’t run over me. But what Jesus calls us to is serving others because of our connection to him. We do not serve others because they are made in the image of God. We do not serve others because they have value. We serve others because we are connected to Jesus, and all we ever want is Jesus to be seen. We sacrifice so that Jesus is seen. We are at peace with each other because we are pointing to Jesus, and the only one who deserves any credit is Jesus.

Is this worth it? Is it worth it to exalt Jesus and be run over by others; misunderstood; taken advantage of; treated as insignificant? The answer to that question says something about your heart. Jesus says that connection with him means connection with God (v. 37) and a reward (v. 41). You are the only one who knows your heart. Live with the attitude of “I deserve” or live with the attitude of “I serve.” Which will you choose?

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