“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.” {John 12:24-26}
We all want to be great. One way or another we all want to be somebody special – somebody who will make a big mark in this world. But so many of us end up being blown away by the demands of what it takes to be great in this world. We think we don’t have what it takes. Instead, we end up frustrated that nothing has turned out exactly as we had imagined it to be as a child, when we had this big dream of being great. Life comes along like a big tractor-trailer and rolls over us, along with our dreams. We get up from our cathartic heartache and disappointment with this life, and we give up on our dreams. We finally say to ourselves this is the only way to live: marry, have kids, find a decent job, retire and die. We tell ourselves we will never be great so we might as well let someone else do it. Let someone else do the fighting and the grinding and the pushing and the shoving, while we mosey along and do what everybody else is doing, and accept life as it is.
Instead of trying to measure up to the world’s definition of greatness, or our own definition, have you ever considered what the true definition of greatness is? Who is great but God? The book of Psalms said it this way,
Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable. {Psalm 145:3}
For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone. {Psalm 86:10}
Here is Moses who was great in the eyes of the entire Jewish nation in his time, and still is after all these years. He penned this about God:
Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? {Exodus 15:11}
Daniel became great because he chose to spend time with God. Three times a day his routine was to pray and talk to God. He became so great that the Lord revealed the future to Daniel. The angels who would talk to him called him “greatly beloved”. He not only became great in the eyes of God, but the Lord lifted him up too in the eyes of all his peers. Every king that met Daniel promoted him and made him a ruler along with them.
There are many men and women that became great in the eyes of God, simply because they chose the ways of God rather than their way. Abraham, the father of the great nation Israel became “the friend” of God. When God called him to leave everything behind, he did not hesitate but followed the Lord. He left everything he knew and became great in God’s eyes. Later the Lord changed his name to Abraham to mean the Father of many nations.
Joseph, who was betrayed by his own brothers was sold into slavery in Egypt. He became great in God’s eyes because he refused to follow the ways of the heathen. When Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce him and make him fall, he ran away from her. He ended up in a dungeon for it and it seemed like he was there for good. But God had given him a gift of interpreting dreams. Not many years later the Lord used this gift to lift him up and make him a governor in Egypt. His brothers who hated him came to need his help later on and realized who he had become. God had lifted him in the eyes of his brothers and father, and the whole nation of Egypt.
King David who was just a shepherd boy was lifted up because he loved the Lord, and spent time loving Him and praising Him. The Lord lifted him up too when he fought Goliath, the champion of the Philistines. David refused to be frightened by this giant because his trust was in the Lord. Years later we see David being chosen to be the next king after God refused King Saul. The Bible states he was ever a lover and worshipper of God, and he was called the sweetest psalmist in Israel. The Lord loved David so much that He chose David’s lineage to bring forth the Son of God. Without the Son of God we wouldn’t know what salvation is. We wouldn’t know who Jesus Christ is. We wouldn’t be able to know the God of Israel for ourselves.
Forget the world’s definition of greatness. Forget your definition too. If you’ve given up on your greatness and what it means to be great, then welcome to God’s world. In Him you have every potential to be great. All it takes is spending time talking to Him. It’s so simple to be great with God, yet people miss out on it every single day. Talk with Jesus. Talk with God. Talk to Him and you’ll be great. Every single man and woman that became great in the eyes of God had a relationship with Him. They talked to Him and became His friend.
Unless a corn of wheat falls into the ground and dies, Jesus said, it will not bear any fruit. You and I are the seeds who have died from our hopes and dreams in this life. We’ve given up on our dreams and our own greatness in this world. We have died to our dreams and aspirations of what the world expects of us. If you’re that person who is dead and has given up on life, then you have every potential to be great with God. Just talk to Him. Talk to Him and let Him know you need Him. Spend time with Him, learning of Him, and reading His word. Make Him your friend. Learn who He is by daily communing with Him with your heart and with your soul and your spirit. Spend as much time as you need to be great with Him and soon, I guarantee you in no time at all, you will be great in God’s eyes.
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. {John 15:4}
And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. {Luke 9:23}
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. {Matthew 6:33}
Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side. {Psalm 71:21}
Prayer
Lord there is no one like You. The heavens, and the heavens of heaven cannot even contain You. How much more the earth we live in? You are great oh Lord and greatly to be praised.
I thank You Savior that Your word will never pass away and that You remain the same yesterday, today and forever. The only greatness that matters is Your definition. Man’s idea of greatness is going to pass away, because You said in Your word that heaven and earth are going to pass away, but Your word will never pass away.
What matters is You Jesus. What matters is who You are, and how great You are in our hearts and in our soul. Help us to love You today, Father. Help us to spend the time we need with You to be great in Your eyes. You don’t want our silver and gold. You don’t want our wealth and possessions in this life. You just want us. You want us to spend time with You in Your presence, talking to You, loving You and knowing You.
I pray, Father, that You will help us to do these things that You wholeheartedly desire for us to do today, spend time with You. I pray this, in Your most wonderful and precious name, Jesus. Thank You, Father. Amen.
{A Repost from June 2018: How To Be Great In God’s Eyes. Edited. Copyright 2024.}
