True Greatness

Who Is the Greatest?

“At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, 'Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?' He called a little child to Him, placed the child among them, and said, 'Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”  (Matthew 18:1–3)

The GOAT

In our culture, the term GOAT (Greatest of All Time) is widely used to describe athletes, artists, or leaders who have achieved legendary status. It’s a label reserved for those with unmatched accomplishments, accolades, and influence. The GOAT is a position of prestige, honor, and glory.

It’s no surprise, then, that Jesus’ disciples coveted this same kind of greatness. Like many of us, their idea of being “great” was shaped by external success and status. But in seeking greatness by the world’s standards, they misunderstood the kind of greatness God intended to cultivate in and through them.

Modern psychologist Abraham Maslow reflects this internal pursuit in his theorized hierarchy of needs. He suggests that the highest human goal is self-actualization, the realization of one's full potential. In a sense, we’re all motivated to climb a ladder of needs, from survival to significance. But this drive for fulfillment, while natural, often mirrors a deeper spiritual reality: human motivation is always at work, but not always rightly directed.

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The Hidden Things of the Heart

The prophet Jeremiah poses a sobering question: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)

This verse reveals three profound truths about our human condition:

• We are driven by the desires of our heart.

• We are often blind to those true desires.

• We are prone to self-deception and rebellion.

In other words, we may be passionately pursuing goals while being unaware of the true motives behind them.

James puts it more plainly, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” (James 4:3)

This isn’t a condemnation of desire itself, but a warning about disordered desires. Our hearts often seek fulfillment in the things of the world rather than the things of God.

The Apostle John categorizes these temptations succinctly as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. (1 John 2:16)

Nearly every sin can be traced back to this pattern:

• We see

• We crave

• We pursue

So we ought to ask ourselves, what truly drives us?

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True Greatness

“Who is the greatest?” the disciples asked.

Jesus doesn’t rebuke their desire for greatness, but He redefines it.

“Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:4)

Jesus' response must have been baffling to the disciples. At first glance, children seem to lack the traits we associate with greatness. They are dependent, inexperienced, and overlooked. But that’s precisely the point. Jesus wasn't celebrating immaturity, He was drawing attention to something easily dismissed. Alongside these vulnerabilities children are unpretentious, trusting, aware of their need for help, quick to forgive, and naturally dependent on others. Jesus elevates these qualities because true greatness in the Kingdom of God is marked by vulnerability, trust, and dependence: a posture of humility.

True greatness begins from a posture of humility.

Humility says, “Not I, but You, Lord.”

When we shift our gaze from ourselves to God, we begin to align with what truly matters: His heart, His purposes, His glory.

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The Weakness of the Flesh

On the night Jesus was betrayed, He asked His disciples to keep watch and pray with Him. Instead, they slept. Three times He found them asleep.

Observing their struggle, He stated, “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41)

Here we see a familiar tension: the gap between desire and discipline. The disciples loved Jesus, but they lacked the spiritual strength to follow through. Their flesh was still in control.

Paul speaks of this inner struggle, “The flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.” (Galatians 5:17)

The flesh wants self-glory. The Spirit calls us to self-denial.

While humility reorients our hearts toward God, discipline helps us to sustain our alignment. It's the daily practice of saying "no" to the flesh when its desires rise louder than the will of the Spirit. This isn't achieved through mere willpower but by a willing submission to God. Paul describes this sacrifice as a crucifixion, "Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." (Galatians 5:24)

A confession of faith in Jesus as our Lord is to declare that we have joined Him in crucifixion. It's this spiritual death and resurrection that reorients our motivations, redeems our desires, and enables us to deny the will of our flesh and come under the will of the Spirit. When we submit our lives to Jesus' Lordship, we surrender not just our sins, but our desires, passions, and ambitions, so that in everything we do, God gets the honour, and glory.

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A Way Forward

The disciples initially sought a greatness that would elevate them above others. But Jesus called them to the path of true greatness, one found in humility, dependence, and childlike faith. From that posture, the disciples became willing vessels in the hand of God, and were used greatly to impact the world and the Kingdom of God.

So what does this mean for us today?

• It means we're not afraid to examine our desires in light of God's Word and will.

• It means we're not too proud to go low in serving others, rather than seeking to be served by others.

• It means we pursue greater surrender than greater success.

• It means we must be willing to decrease so that He may increase in our lives.

If we truly desire to be great in God’s Kingdom, then exalting His name must be our priority. True greatness is not found in seeking self-importance, but in seeking God’s importance.

So, are we willing to lay down fleeting pleasures of the flesh to walk in the lasting joy of the Spirit?

Today, let us choose the path of the child: humble, trusting, and fully dependent on our Father. For that is the path to true greatness.

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16)