Living Between Two Advents: Be GREAT!
Rather frequently, this past week, I found myself thinking about my mother-in-law.
Most likely, that’s because we are very close to the anniversary of her death on February 3rd of 2019 – almost six years without her.
Gramma Dot, as she was known to everyone, opened her heart and home to multitudes.
From her I learned what biblical hospitality looked like.
She taught me what it looked like to serve others with joy and WELCOME…never grudgingly, always with loving kindness.
If anyone modeled serving others for Jesus’ sake, it was Gramma.
I won’t go on, because days before she passed, I wrote a full blog about my mother-in-love.
When I take time to look at what’s being read on this site, that particular blog gets at least one hit EVERY WEEK.
Even after six years.
I reckon the other reason, she’s been on my mind, has to do with John the Baptist.
Huh?
Jesus said these words about John, and they have definitely brought Gramma to mind as I’ve pondered them:
Among those born of women there is none greater than John!
BUT…. (pay attention to those conjunctions in the middle of sentences, something better might be coming)
Look at how The Message translates this passage –
“Let me lay it out as plainly as I can: No one in history surpasses (the greatness of) John the Baptist, but in the kingdom he prepared for you, the lowliest person is ahead of him (Luke 7:28).”
John, in the eyes of Jesus, is considered greater than Abraham, Moses, Elijah, Isaiah…all who had come before, whom God used mightily.
Yet, even those the world considers “lowly,” are greater (Lowly. Least. “Mikros.” Small – either in stature, rank, or influence).
John preferred to be behind the scenes, serving, preparing the way, being a voice (an instrument of words) in the wilderness (nobody loves the wilderness, but John did).
This “serving” others for Jesus’ sake is what made John great.
Again, Jesus’ words:
In the Kingdom of God, greatness is measured by one’s willingness to serve.
It is not measured by the amount of money one gives, power, authority, or even how “upfront” (seen by others).
As greatness goes, John the Baptist hit the mark; Dorothy Barnes Forrest did, too.
As we live from Advent to Advent, from The Coming to THE COMING of Jesus, the standard for living has been established by John the Baptist (and followed by my mother-in-love):
SERVE WILLINGLY.
See a need? What can I do to meet it? What might you do?
Oh, and just to be clear – it’s even better, as I heard this past weekend in Sunday’s sermon, if we do what we do in SECRECY (not even our left hand knows what our right hand is doing).
Jesus-Followers we need more greatness!
BE GREAT!