Greatness

It surprises me every year how blessed I am at New Year's Eve service. This eve, we focused on Matthew 18:1-5, and here is a bit of a recap and reflection from Pastor Jong's message:

Our greatest fear is that our hearts grow old. As the years pass, we forget what is important to God; we forget what God cares about; we forget what kind of person God wants us to be. We begin to think we can be independent and self-sufficient. We begin to think that our happiness and pleasure is no longer contingent on the Gospel and our relationship with God. We begin to think that we are great for what we have accomplished. In Matthew 18, Jesus tells us that greatness is not through what we have achieved, but through child-like hearts and a child-like dependence.

But before worrying about greatness, we must concern ourselves with Christ. We need to ask ourselves, are we really Christian? Are we just assuming that we are in heaven? Greatness starts by salvation and sanctification. We enter into His kingdom by being a child, and we grow into greatness by being like a child. My niece is turning 2 in a few days, and though I am not her mother, I see her helplessness and genuine dependence. I see her trust in her parents to feed, to care, to protect, to love her. She doesn't question whether or not her parents will return to her after a day's work, she doesn't doubt their love for her. She has faith in her parents. In the same way, we must depend on the Gospel: Jesus Christ humbled himself, became man to die for man so we can live in eternal union and relationship with God.  Nothing we can do earns our salvation. We admit that we cannot and want not to save ourselves. Through Jesus Christ, we are totally free and totally secure now. It is faith alone in this Good News that saves us.

What happens when we miss the child's heart? In Matthew 18, the disciples were asking the question of greatness out of the worldly ambition. When we miss the child's heart, we become consumed with self-concern, self-justification, self-advancement, self-centered... everything revolves around my reputation, what others think of me, my opinions, my points, ME. ME. ME. We get wrapped up and consumed in building and advancing our own kingdom. We waste our energy and time trying to make a legacy for ourselves, to only realize that none of it gives us ultimate pleasure and satisfaction, because it's never enough. 

Is there any hope for changing? Become childlike again by depending on Jesus Christ, the most childlike. We put our trust in the Holy Spirit to turn our hearts away from ourselves, so that we can become a child again: wrapped up in the Father's arms, wrapped up in God's business of loving and building His kingdom.

When we become a child, we can receive other children.  A child expects nothing in return. And so, when we see and serve people, we too can expect nothing in return. We no longer need to be appreciated, no longer searching for compliments, no longer seeking to gain respect and a reputation for ourselves, no longer about me. It's all about and for Jesus now. That is the heart of ministry.

Looking back in 2012, I can't help but be thankful for His faithfulness. He saved me! What about me that he is mindful of me? That he cared enough to save this wretched soul. He hasn't let go. He hasn't forgotten. In 2013, may I grow great by becoming less, by becoming a child again. And let this heart overflow with joy and love, so that the love of Jesus Christ be known!