True Greatness

“What is true greatness?”

“Is it wrong to desire to be great??”

I watched as dozens of Bolivians’ gave deep thought to both of these questions. We were sitting in Iglesia Cristiana Missionera, a Bolivian-style church just blocks away from the SAM Base here in Santa Cruz. We had been worshiping God along with our brothers and sisters here in Bolivia (in Spanish!), and now it was time for our very own leader, Pastor Ryan, to deliver the word of God.

And praise God for the power of His word! The passage: Mark chapter 10. The message: one that will change anyone’s life—if he'll allow it.

• “…whoever desires to be great among you shall be your servant.”
• “…whoever desires to be first shall be slave of all.”
• “…even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

We are in Bolivia. And we are here to SERVE!! But the honest truth: service requires us to think very lowly of ourselves. Ryan walked us through the meaning of “servant” and “slave,” showing us what it means to focus on the needs of others. He IS our master. He is WORTHY of ALL…not just because He CREATED us but because He BOUGHT us…with the precious, infinitely valuable blood of Christ.

And so we are here to be truly great by showing true servanthood to these dear students. We’re here to love each of these students, to make sacrifices that will serve their needs, to understand them, to help them, and to love them as Christ has loved us—with sacrificial, unconditional love. Ryan ended his message with a challenge to show love in the church, in the family, and in all relationships. This is the love that can only come from Christ. This is the love that will tell others we are His disciples. And this is the love that will transform our hearts—Americans and Bolivians alike—to become closer and closer to Him.

Please pray that we will be humble servants!! We need His life in us to serve others the way that Jesus has shown. May we “bear much fruit” as we seek to be true servants for Him through English Village this week!!!!