Great

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Great… What does it mean to be great? What does it mean to make something great? Greatness has been a word we have heard a lot of lately.

When I have been hearing this word greatness, I often think of stories told about Jesus. There is an argument that arises among the disciples about which one of them is the greatest. Jesus knew what they were thinking. Knew they were juggling over who gets power, who is the favorite, who gets the most responsibility. Jesus who knew what they were they were thinking, took a little child and drew the child to his side and said, ‘Whoever welcomes this child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me; for the least among all of you is the greatest’ (Luke 9:48). The little child, the one by your side, the littlest, the most vulnerable, in God’s dream this one is the greatest. This story is told and retold in each of the gospels. Each time Jesus makes the point that we are to welcome the least and we are to become the servant. He says look at the mustard seed,, a tiny seed, grows and spread to become a place where bird nest. He invites us to look at the woman who puts the few coins in the offering. He spoke of sparrows, corn, seeds. He knelt with the blind, the frail and invited them to see and be strong. To be great we are invited into a journey where we welcome the least, the lost, the last.  He invited us to look at what isn’t valued and see its worth.

When asked to become great, to make great does this change your response. Does it cause you to pause? Do you remember what Jesus said about greatness? Do you think about children and seeds, yeast and coins? Do you remember all those he touched with wild grace those frail, blind, lost, hurt? We invited to be servants, to delight in God’s kingdom that sees the beauty of the small. 

He knew the greatness of the small Who spied two pennies in the plate, And felt the trust young hands relate And blessed them all: He said what mattered was not large When in God’s charge.

When we defer to sight or size, Believing big is always best And falling for the Tempter's test, God open our eyes To see how Christ, the Lord of All, Smiles from the small.        

                                                                                              John Bell and Graham Maule