Posted: 15 August 2023

From a sermon given on 13 August 2023:

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
(James 4:10, NIV)

Traditionally, people have pursued greatness by achieving prominence in politics athletics, entertainment, business and the likes. The names of such stand outs live on through the records the world keeps - halls of fame, history books, registers even buildings and monuments that "immortalize" them after they've gone. Every community has its men and women who are held up as paragon of greatness. (Neal Pollard)

However, biblically, greatness is not about getting noticed. It's about glorifying God and putting him and others first, often at personal expense. Humility is the recipe for greatness in the eyes of God (Mathew Ruttan). Everything we have is a free gift from God and therefore He becomes the focus.

We need to humble ourselves as we serve other people. If we humble ourselves before the Lord , he will lift us up in places of honour in the society. "Humility gets down and lifts others up; humility measures everything it does by whether it glorifies God by serving the good of other people." Greatness is revealing humility towards others and meekness towards God. Always remember the way down is the way up!

But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
(Matthew 23:11-12)

Further Readings:

To set up on high those that be low; that those which mourn may be exalted to safety
(Job 5:11)

And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.
(Luke 22:24-27)

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
(1Peter 5:6)