The Mirror of the Word and other works by C.E. White can be purchased on her website, cewhitebooks.com or on Amazon.

“But the greatest of you shall be your servant.”

—Matthew 23:11

If we took this verse to heart day in and day out, how different would our lives be?

Most of us resent the menial tasks, the humble jobs—we feel like we’re above the lowly things and think they get in the way of what really matters. We often want to do what we consider to be the important things and not be bothered with the stuff of mere mortals.

But what does the Bible say the mark of greatness is?

Servanthood. Humility.

“With humility consider one another as more important than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3). “Give preference to one another in honor” (Romans 12:10).

Even if we’re leaders, we’re to lead as servants rather than looking to be served, not seeking our own honor or advancement, but rather seeking how to build others up. 

Greatness considers no task too lowly and is willing to do the things to which many of us would respond, “That’s not my job.”

Sometimes the Lord must humble us externally because we haven’t learned this lesson. Our humbling is then a blessing because “pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling” (Proverbs 16:18).

This humbling may keep us in lowly positions to preserve our souls and his honor; he wants to keep us from that prideful fall. If our hearts have not learned servanthood and humility, achieving worldly greatness would only launch us into a life of useless pursuits and leave us empty in the end.

May our hearts be humbled and glad to serve, looking outward to the good of others rather than focused inward on our own desires. That is what makes greatness.

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