Greatness

This week I have been reflecting on what it means to be Great. I must admit that if I really was honest about my personal thinking of greatness..it would be very results oriented. Even though I know that true greatness is not about what I can produce or perform...But if I was truly honest and didn't "spiritualize" my answer about greatness..I would say greatness is synonymous with popularity, money, numbers, publicly witnessed extraordinary events and huge stadiums filled with millions of people shouting my name. But I was gently reminded of the truth of greatness this week.

...I sat in my bed Friday morning listening to one of my favorite broadcasts. Almost daily one of my rituals is to lock into the 8:30am hour of 1100 am KFAX. (It's one of my links on my blog and you can listen online, too). Family Life Today is an amazing ministry that teaches all people. Singles,men, women, marrieds, and parents alike can learn from this show. The topic spoke so much to me. Go and listen to last week's broadcast.

http://www.familylife.com/fltoday/broadcast_schedule.asp?past=1

I was encouraged to be faithful to God no matter what the cost. I needed to redefine my understanding of greatness...that when no one is cheering and no results can be seen, even when dreams and goals are not being met..Greatness is being faithful to God. Saying yes to his ways even when it hurts and it brings no results or popularity. It is in the secret when greatness comes. I remember the broadcast talking about reading books to your children at night. The speaker said that it's those little moments that pave the way for a great relationship with your child in the future, but it may feel insignificant in the moment. That really touched me because as I prepare for fatherhood I want nothing more that to be a great dad! I want to have a great relationship with my kids which requires lots of little "un-great" moments that will lead to truly great moments.Just like being a great man or woman of God requires times of silence, pain, wondering, and answer-less prayers that bring maturity and discipline to our lives (James 1) . That's why is it necessary that I change the way I evaluate my greatness. It's Beautifully messy, humbling, and all about God..not about me.

That same day someone emailed this excerpt from Oswald Chambers:

Getting into God's Stride..."Enoch walked with God"...Gen 5:24
The true test of a person's spiritual life and character is not what he
does in the extraordinary moments of life, but what he does during the
ordinary times when there is nothing tremendous or exciting happening..A
person's worth is revealed in his attitude toward the ordinary things of
life when he is not under the spotlight...it is painful work to step with
God and to keep pace with Him-means getting your second wind spiritually.
In learning to walk with God there is always the difficulty of getting into
His stride, but once we have done so, the only characteristic that exhibits
itself is the very life of God Himself. The individual person is merged into
a personal oneness with God, and God's stride and His power alone are
exhibited...