Service-oriented greatness

Servanthood is a reorientation of how we think about greatness. It’s a reorientation, because it takes us out of the spotlight. If you’ve ever been the best man, or the maid of honor in a wedding, you know that you’ve been entrusted with a set of important tasks. However, the one thing you should definitely do not do, is try to make the day about you. You don’t try take the spot of the groom at the altar, because the wedding isn’t about you. You don’t try to give the best vows, because they aren’t yours to give. You don’t cut in during the first dance, because it’s not about you. Becoming a servant is about serving the true groom, Jesus, and the true bride, the Church.

In Mark 9:35 Jesus has overheard his disciples trying to decide who’s the best, and takes a moment to reorient their understanding, “he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”

It’s worth noting that nowhere in this redefinition does Jesus forbid the desire to be great, only the means by which we attain greatness. Jesus’ reorientation means that to be truly great, we make a practice of putting others before ourselves. We give up the best seat, the position of honor, the starring role. We draw others up, instead of forcing our way to the front. We emulate our God who eternally holds the highest position of honor, and still became like us.

Where have you lived into greatness that fights its way to the top? Where have you lived into a service oriented greatness?


Mark 9:35