And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kindly to everyone, an apt teacher, patient, correcting opponents with gentleness. (2 Timothy 2:24-25 NRSV Bible)
What makes a person truly great? We certainly have a lot of sports and activities in our society to help us find out who is the greatest. We definitely live in a competitive world. Michele, my wife, can most certainly tell you about the ways I am competitive. But does being competitive and winning make a person truly great?

Probably not. Jesus does, however, give us some important characteristics that do make us truly great.

We all love happy endings. I remember a story about Hollywood producer Sam Goldwyn. He once listened to director Billy Wilder describe in detail the true life story of a famous artist. Wilder thought it would make a great movie.

"Does it end happy?" Goldwyn wanted to know.
"Well," said Wilder, "it winds up with the guy in an insane asylum thinking he's a horse."
Goldwyn threw Wilder out the door. But Wilder wasn't discouraged. He poked his head back in and said, "Okay, how about if at the end the guy who thinks he's a horse...goes on to win the Kentucky Derby."

We love it when the good guy comes out on top. And being a servant is a lot like coming out on top at the end of a good movie. A servant will have lots of hardships, work hard behind the scenes, and little recognition, but in the end a true servant will be rewarded by being the greatest in the sight of God.

God of true servants, help me to be one today. In Jesus name, Amen.

Ron Newhouse

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