What is your initial thought when I ask, “What makes someone great?”
Is someone great if they…
… have a PhD?
… are a millionaire?
… won an Olympic medal?
… are a brilliant composer?
Notice that with all these cases people’s greatness is measured by what they have accomplished outwardly in their lives.
What if we were to measure true greatness as who we become that starts inwardly and not by what we do outwardly?
While on earth we are great because of who we become and not because of what we accomplish in our lives.
*We become adopted children.
In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. –Ephesians 1:5-6 (ESV)
When we come to the point in our lives when we accept Jesus as our personal Savior, the fact that we are God’s adopted sons and daughters takes on greater meaning. Jesus is our brother. Our hearts begin to understand how magnificent it is to be called God’s beloved. We know that God is leading our lives, and we praise Him for His goodness and grace.
*We become love itself—as we love God and others.
If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. –1 John 4:15-16 (NIV)
Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ –Matthew 22:37-39 (NIV)
“God is love”–three simple words that are so powerful. If we believe in God, that means His love is in each one of us too. We are blessed to live our lives loving God with all of our being and to love ourselves and others with that same love. It is a life-long process of growing deeper in becoming love and sharing it with others.
*We become saints–living holy and blamelessly.
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. –Ephesians 1:1-4 (ESV)
Have you considered yourself a saint? Easton’s Bible Dictionary defines a saint as “one separated from the world and consecrated to God; a believer in Christ.” God has called you to be a saint, one who is consecrated to God and believes in Christ. You can be holy and blameless despite being a sinner. Saints are not perfect but have a desire to please the Lord.
On this earth, we are all on a journey to our heavenly home to spend eternity in the true presence of God and Jesus. We become the people God intends us to be through the ways we grow in knowing we are God’s beloved child, experience and share His great love, and become saints living holy and blameless lives. Our vocations and accomplishments help us to grow closer to God and to glorify Him. Our accomplishments should help us spread God’s goodness and peace to all. We strive, with God’s help, to become more Christ-like each day of our lives.
Be encouraged this week to…
… reflect on the fact you are God’s adopted child.
… grow deeper in loving God, others, and yourself.
… thank God that you are a saint who is trying your best.
REFLECTION:
Who do you need to love more–God, others, or yourself?
What is one unique way you reflect God’s greatness?
“The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.” –Revelation 11:18 (ESV)
