Daily devotion – greatness and servanthood
Many of us who are old enough remember a famous heavyweight boxing champion who often declared, “I am the greatest!” It was his way of showing confidence and dominance in the ring. However, in Mark 9, we see Jesus teaching a lesson about greatness that directly contradicts this mindset.
In Mark 9:31, Jesus is once again teaching His disciples, telling them that He would soon be betrayed, killed, and after three days, rise again. Despite this sobering revelation, as they made their way to Capernaum, the disciples became absorbed in an argument, one that Jesus was fully aware of. When they arrived, He asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” They kept silent, likely out of embarrassment, because they had been arguing about who among them would be the greatest (Mark 9:34).
The disciples, like many of us, still held onto a worldly idea of greatness. They thought that Jesus was about to set up His kingdom in Jerusalem and wanted to know who would hold the highest honors in that kingdom. In their minds, greatness meant power, status, and recognition.
But Jesus, as He often did, turned their understanding upside down. He told them, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all” (Mark 9:35). True greatness in the eyes of God is not found in being served but in serving others.
To further illustrate His point, Jesus took a little child into His arms and said, “Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me” (Mark 9:36-37). The disciples had been seeking position and honor, but Jesus was teaching them that humility is the true path to greatness.
A child naturally knows he is a child and behaves accordingly. The child does not seek to impress or exert power over others but instead attracts love and care by simply being who they are. In the same way, Jesus was showing His disciples that humility, being true to oneself, and serving others is the key to greatness.
In the world, greatness is often measured by how many people serve you. But in Christ’s kingdom, greatness is measured by how many people you serve. Jesus flipped the worldly concept of greatness on its head—He showed that serving others is the highest form of leadership.
Interestingly, in Aramaic, the word for “child” and “servant” is the same, further linking the ideas of humility and service. If we can cultivate the heart of a child—humble, sincere, and content—we will naturally embrace the role of a servant. And when we serve others, we are not just serving them, but we are serving Christ Himself.
Jesus’ teaching remains a powerful reminder in a world where there are often “too many chiefs and not enough Indians.” In the body of Christ, the Church, there is only one true “Chief”—Christ. Everyone else is called to be a servant.
So, if we truly want to be great in God’s eyes, we must learn to be the servant of all.