The Paradox of Christian Greatness
The greatest Christian leaders are content with the level of prominence assigned to them by God - whether that is a degree of celebrity or near-complete anonymity.
In a world that glorifies achievement and fame, what does it mean to be truly great in the eyes of God? Christian greatness is a paradox. We think that greatness means being widely known for our talents and feted for our achievements. With this treatment, we might develop a sense of pride and entitlement. But there is no room for pride when you can be the greatest and the least at the same time.
Jesus said of John the Baptizer, “I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” (Luke 7:28)
If we try to visualize this idea, we might see that MC Escher drawing where people appear to be ascending to new heights, but reaching the top of the staircase they find they are behind those only beginning their ascent.
Climbing gets us nowhere and this destroys all motivation for competitiveness and selfish ambition and conceit since greatness in the Kingdom of God is connected to humility and not to accomplishment.
This is a badly needed word in the structures of power in our churches today, so many of which are filled with worldly “corporate-ladder” thinking, with people trying to make their way to the “top” of the organization by climbing the proverbial ladder.
And yet to really reach the “top” in the Kingdom of God is not to live more and more like royalty, but to live more and more like a servant.
The greatest Christian leaders are content with the level of prominence assigned to them by God - whether that is a degree of celebrity or near-complete anonymity. The Christian leaders who crave visibility and notoriety inevitably end up on the ever-growing heap of bitter ex-influencers, always pining for their glory days that never actually were.
Resist the temptation to exalt your own greatness. If our churches are stocked with people who seek greatness by way of humility and not accomplishment, then the future is bright.
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I like the Escher reference