Greatness is an idea that is changing more and more as I live on. It used to mean having the most eyes on me, the most reverence from others. Fame was equivalent to greatness. It didn't take too long for that fade away. I remember watching the biography channel years ago, and it hit me that I had not seen one biography of a famous person that I would trade my life with when all was said and done. The lie proved thin.
Then it moved to legacy. Being famous for doing something wonderful, not just being famous. This too proved thin. During my depression I was stripped of any romantic notions of humanity. What I was able to see as that a hero to one is a villain of another. This could not be more apparent with the death of Osama Bin Laden. On news of his death, many celebrated, or were at least relieved by the death of a monster. Yet, many mourned and protested in anger at the loss of someone revered and loved.
So, the love and reverence of humans is too subjective and narrow. Then greatness must be defined by doing great things in the name of God. It must. God's glory never fades. It never goes away. He sets a standard that all are under. Surely greatness must be measured this way. This is the road to a great life.
Yet, I have devoted myself to nothing more than the glory of God, and yet have lacked much. This is what I now am seeing. This is my theophany. I Corinthians says it. "...but have not love, I am nothing." Matthew 22:32 "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart all your soul and with all your might. This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself." It reminds me of a quote from "The Notebook".
It goes like this, "I am nothing special; just a common man with common thoughts, and I've led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten. But in one respect I have succeeded as gloriously as anyone who's ever lived: I've loved another with all my heart and soul; and to me, this has always been enough."
That is a great life. Just last week I would have told you that a great life meant to have sold a bunch of books that impacted people, or that I would have ministered in a way that brought about enormous change in peoples lives. To God be all glory. Now I will tell you that I will consider my life great if I have loved greatly. That is what I want, to love God and to love others with as much ferocity as I can. If I achieve none of those other things, but have loved God greatly, and love others greatly, my life will have been great.
That is my prayer. That my love and affection would be stirred for God like never before. That my love and affection for others would grow in ways I can just barely see now. That is my prayer for you too. That you would love God truly and deeply. That you would open your heart to Him and indeed others. That you would be moved in your heart to know the depths it can go. That nothing, not even ministry, would get in the way of such things. Always.
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