What

does greatness look like? People are drawn to celebrities. I can

remember times when I’ve been able to shake the hand of a

celebrity—feeling my heart race and fumbling over my words. Fame

tends to distort our perception of the qualities we should admire and

­aspire toward. It is always refreshing to see people who are

able to remain humble even though they have reached great heights in

their life. It is also rare.

If

anyone deserved celebrity treatment, it was Jesus. Yet that is not

what happened. Instead, Jesus came to show us what true greatness

really looks like and what true greatness does. Jesus’ ministry on

earth was a ministry of humble service. There was nothing pretentious

about him. He didn’t expect special treatment. He did not chase

after fame. In fact, on more than one occasion, he told others to

remain quiet about what they had seen him do or hear him say.

What

we learn from Jesus by his example is the importance of putting the

needs of others ahead of our own. Our life is not about the pursuit

of comfort or recognition. On the contrary, in pursuing God’s

pur­poses, our life is second. This is one characteristic about

Jesus that we can and should imitate. We are never more like Jesus

than when we are serving ­others.