I have some notes from a recent sermon to share. We were in Mark 9:33-37.
To summarize, Jesus had just told His disciples that He was going to be taken and crucified, and that He would rise again. They were afraid to ask Him what He meant (Mark 9:30-32). As they continued on their way, the disciples started arguing about who should be the greatest. Afterward Jesus asked them what they’d been arguing about, even though He knew, and they didn’t want to tell Him. Jesus proceeded to sit down and address the topic. He didn’t rebuke their desire for greatness, He showed them what true greatness is.
Jesus let His disciples know that those who want to be first should be last and servant of all. Jesus then took a child, someone who would have been left out and overlooked in that society, and set the child on His lap. He told the disciples that whoever receives a child in His name receives Him, and whoever receives Jesus receives the Father who sent Him.
Now for the notes. Desiring greatness isn’t wrong, as long as you desire it for the right reasons. The God-given desire for greatness isn’t wrong, but we need to be aware it can be tainted and corrupted by sin. It can be corrupted by reputation: only desiring to be known as great. It can be corrupted by rivalry: simply desiring to be greater than another. It can be corrupted by recognition: thinking that acknowledgment is greatness.
Go ahead and pursue greatness! Just understand that the path is not up, but down. God’s way to greatness looks a lot different than the ways we’re used to. The way to true greatness is service. So we need to ask ourselves some important Biblically grounded questions: Is my impulse for self-exaltation being crucified in my life? Do I have a sincere desire to serve others? Am I ready and willing to decrease while others increase?
You should want to be great, and that will only result in being the greatest servant you can be!