Introducing The Next Great…

“I have been with you wherever you went, and I have destroyed all your enemies before you. And I will make you famous like the great ones of the earth.” 2 Samuel 7: 9

So what do you want to be? Maybe when you grow-up? Or maybe before you retire? Or maybe before you die? What do you want to accomplish? I think most people have a desire for greatness. People want to be the next great…actor, or writer, or athlete. We want to be famous and unique all at the same time. We want others to know that there is something special about us, something that cries out for attention, something that won’t let us be ignored, or forgotten or overlooked; something that gives us worth and a purpose for being here.

We all love the rags to riches stories don’t we? JK Rowling would not be so interesting if she had grown-up as a blue blood in the lap of luxury. Bill Clinton might not have been elected president in 1992 if he hadn’t hailed from Hope, Arkansas. And we would’ve missed out on shedding some tears if not for the stories-turned-into-movies like Rudy, Hoosiers and The Mighty Ducks (well, maybe not this last one). The point is that we all like to see ourselves as the underachiever, the guy without all the perks in life, the one who has to overcome all kinds of obstacles, works real hard and then becomes famous. Even people who are rich don’t always think they are—because there are always more people richer than them (except for Bill Gates I guess).

So why do we all have this desire to be great. And why do we all have this image of ourselves as overcoming things? I think because God has created us to be great. And God has created us unique. And God does have a purpose for us. But unlike our culture that uses media, flashy images, movies scores and sound bites to elicit temporary emotions from us, our God has created us for real, concrete and lasting greatness. And what we overcome is sin and the attacks of Satan.

How? Well, Jesus said the greatest in the Kingdom is one who is like a child (Matthew 18). Our greatness does not come from our beauty, our intelligence or our talents. Our worth does not come from how much we can achieve or accomplish. Our greatness comes from our capacity to love and our worth comes from our acceptance of God’s love for us. And we are unique precisely because we are created in the image and likeness of a God who is infinite and who we cannot tame, contain or even fully comprehend this side of heaven. May this desire for greatness compel us to be like Him.

Dear Jesus, You have created me for greatness and You have created me a unique, one-of-kind-individual in Your image. Help me to seek after You in all I do, so that one day I may share in the greatness of everlasting life. Amen.