One of the most helpful understandings we can gain is to see that people in the bible were no different in nature than we are. There really are no superstar humans that live, worship and serve the King. Do not get me wrong, God uses people differently but please never lose your awareness that they are still mere people whom He is using. Sometimes we place others way up on a towering pedestal. Sometimes we put ourselves there. Check out this audacious statement from the scriptures concerning Jesus’ closest followers as they moved toward what they believed would be an immediate, earthly kingdom. What makes this all the more startling is that this occurs right after Jesus had told them about His own suffering and impending death.
“An argument arose among them as to which of them was the greatest.” – Luke 9:46 {ESV}
Is that not ridiculous? How in the world could these dull, insensitive and selfish disciples come off with such a self-exalting debate among themselves? What in the world could make them consider that it would be remotely appropriate to jockey for position while the Savior had just taught them of the sacrifice He would soon make? Me first! Are you kidding me? Where do they get off trampling over each other in order to put themselves at the top? I will tell you where they get off – they get off at the same place you and I do when we do the exact same thing each and every day of our lives.
I think I deserve to be the greatest when I am interrupted by someone who does not matter enough to me. I think I deserve to be the greatest when I am debating my wife on something upon which we do not see eye to eye and I am determined to show her how off-the-mark she is. I’m the greatest when the person driving in front of me is not considering that they are in my way and I become stressed. I might desire to be the greatest when I judge others and am suspicious of their sincerity. I exalt myself to Greathood when I minimize my faults and maximize yours. When my presumption for greatness is offended by church members who do not rise to proper levels of service and sacrifice, I can burn with resentment that is forged in the fires of my sense of personal greater-ness. If I have a long list of those whom I have helped and an even longer list of those who have not helped me, then I seek to establish my obvious greatness. Please know that I am the greatest when I am standing in a long line and I assume the delay was constructed in the cosmos with me in mind, to bother me and keep me from what I am entitled to. When I offer little to my children because I am tired then I, once again, believe my greatness is bigger than theirs. If I am challenged by someone I believe to have less understanding than me and I swat them down, then it proves that I believe I am greater than they. When I do not forgive, I think I am the greater than my offender. When I do not serve others then I reveal my attitude of greater-ness. Should I think more on the frustrations in my life than the blessings, I prove that somewhere inside of me I believe myself to be above the norm, above others, above the nuisance of not having things my way – this is a clear token of my attitude of being greater than I actually am.
That’s my confession and it could have gone on for much longer. I have pages of this stuff, believe me. So, will you risk it and go there with me? Will you address the reality that somewhere in your heart you are just like the disciples and just like me when it comes to believing in your own greater-ness? If you are tempted to dismiss this facet of who you are as a person in the process of being redeemed then it is likely that your own sense of Greathood has ushered you to that dangerous place of believing what you hear and read is for that other person -that lesser person. It certainly is for them, friend, but it is for you also. Nobody is so great that they should not consider this. The only One who is exempt from having to admit this was the greatest One of all.
And He was the One who laid down His greatness in love and humility so that we might know the joy of being with Him. Now that is what I call great.
How I wish more teachers of the Word would present this transparency! Yours encourages my own. It makes it safe for me to say to God and another human being “me too.”
My list is near identical to yours. I would add a perspective of a soon to be wife, (obviously you can’t offer that : ).
When, as a wife, I appoint myself as The Great Translator for my husband, explaining to others “what he really meant”, or suggesting clothing choices for him, or perhaps a beard trim….I hear God say “leave him be, you love this man, right?”.
It astounding to me the arrogance I can still practice, even as I am aware of my rock bottom beginnings. Fear and pride attempt to choke faith and gratitude and here I go with the reins (again).
I am grateful for God who sees this coming and swiftly reroutes me with a well timed “and just WHO are YOU.”. I am grateful for teachers like you who free me up to answer Him truthfully.
Short on chapter and verse here, but I remember one passage of the Bible referring to us all as “grasshoppers”.
I hear Carradine saying
it…
“ahhhh, grasshopper”.
: )