by Steven Wright

I have always wanted to be somebody great. Not just good, but great! I thought about being a great baseball player - they make lots of money and are very popular. They are on TV and you read about them in newspapers and magazines. Everybody likes to see and watch them. But it doesn't last long, and people soon forget about you.

Or, I could become a politician. Everyone wants to be your friend and you are always receiving honors. You have a lot of power to do things for people. And, most politicians are wealthy when they retire. But, it seems very hard to be honest, with everyone wanting you to "do something" for them.

Maybe the best approach is to do like Jesus - become great by not trying to become great. That's it, I'll just use the talents God has given me and be like Jesus. In Mark 10:45 we learn that "Jesus came not to be served but to serve." If we are going to be like Him, we must have His attitude about service and be a servant to others. I will be a servant! If you want to be great, I can tell you how. Matthew 20:26 states that to be great, you must become a servant.

After Joshua had led the children of Israel into the promised land, he told them to "choose you this day whom you will serve.... but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord" (Joshua 24:15). I think this is what Jesus would want me to do.

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus teaches many things that will identify a servant, and He makes a promise to all who serve. For example, "blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy." The Good Samaritan was a servant to a stranger and showed mercy to him. Jesus said that we should "go and do likewise" (Luke 10:36,37).

John tells about Jesus washing the feet of his disciples in John 13:4-17. Jesus tells us that we should follow this example. To follow Jesus, we should serve with gentleness, kindness and humbleness. It is hard to be like that today when it seems like everyone is concerned only able himself - but Jesus expects us to be concerned for others.

Can we as servants have any influence in the world today? Yes. In Matthew 5, Jesus said "You are the salt of the earth and the light of the world." This makes it personal. Salt and light in these verses stand for our influence on others. It is my responsibility to see that my salt does not lose its worth and my light is not hidden. For my influence to be effective I need to be serving others. Serving is not a sign of weakness but of courage and obedience.

Our service is measured by how well we serve, not how big the service is. In Hebrews 6:10 we see that God will not forget our works of love. Little things can begin a life of service - a card to an elderly person, a phone call to the lonely, a visit to the nursing home or just a hug to encourage. For example, in Matthew 10:42 we learn that if you "give just a cup of cold water you shall not lose your reward."

If we are followers of Christ, we are "His hands". If Christ is to help the poor, it must be by our hands. If he is to take care of the sick, it must be by our hands. If he is to help those who are lonely, it must be by our hands. Do you see anything that Christ needs to do today? Remember the song: "Christ has no hands but our hands to do his work today."

I want to be great at something that prepares me for eternity. Being a great ball player or politician counts only while I am living. Being a great servant prepares me to meet God in heaven and to hear him say "well done".

I intend to be like Joshua and serve the Lord. What about you? What do you want to do with your life?

Editor's Note: Steven Wright is a young Christian man who is a participant in the Lads to Leaders program in the Austinville Church of Christ in Decatur, AL, USA. Courtesy of The Voice of Truth International, Vol 41, Pages 77,78.