Next to Greatness

This is a topic that I have been rolling around in my head for a week or so. Greatness. What is greatness? Can I be great? Do I want to be great? Is it enough to not seek greatness on my own but instead be the carrier of another's greatness? And if so how do I carry another's greatness.

Greatness is a quality that can be obtained through many means but ultimately the result is being revered by others. Do I have the power or want to be revered by others? No and yes. I want to be great, I know that sounds conceited, but then again thats who I am, an imperfect human being. Moving onward... So I want to be great... but can I truly be great? Simple answer, yes, I can be great. However there is a catch, I cannot be great by myself. I cannot do anything without the help of somebody else. Sure I can walk and talk today, but who taught me how to do those things? I only am who I am because of another.

This begs the question then, who is truly great on their own, every great person has stepped on the great person before them to accomplish something new or better. I'm not saying this is necessarily a bad thing but at the same time this fact must be duly noted and respected. I am great because other great people lifted me up. With this line of logic nobody is truly great on their own.

So then if I cannot be truly great on my own then can I be the bearer of another's greatness? And if so am I great by association? The answer to both questions is yes. I think of the servant of a great king. The servant is not great on his own, this person could work elsewhere and work for their own fortune. However a servant devotes his life to his master, his greatness is his master's greatness. Alone he is nothing but as the servant of a great king he is in turn great. The servant stands up for his master when his master is slandered. He lives his life to be a positive reflection on his master. He is in turn shown great respect for the greatness he represents. The servant stands next to greatness. That is enough for him.

The great master cares for his servants in turn for he realizes that his servants are extensions of himself and his greatness. The great master realizes that if his servants are cared for and able to reflect his greatness to the outside world then the master is in turn glorified. The great master extends his greatness to his servants because he realizes the simple truth that his greatness is not something purchased but something given by others through excellence in character.

(Now to tie this all in)

God is our master, he is a great master and takes care of his servants. We stand in his greatness and what we do with it is up to us. We can claim it as our own fall into our own folly, and be humiliated. We can ignore God's greatness and wander around searching for another master to stand with, ultimately ending the day tired and exhausted. Or... We can take this greatness and use it to further the glory and greatness of our master, Yahweh. God sends us out to show the world his greatness all we have to do is use the talents and abilities that he has gifted us to their fullest extent and never forget the source that our power flows from.

I stand next to greatness and because I stand next to greatness I am great as well. I do not forget where my greatness comes from, I am reminded of my own faults daily but the greatness of my master, my God is shown to me daily as well. I do not need to worry because my master is master of all things on Heaven and on Earth. I am provided for because when I am provided for my master's greatness is shown through my life.