True Greatness

There has been one name that everybody has been talking about for the past days. One name mentioned in a lot of newspapers, webpages, blogs, tweets and facebook posts: Steve Jobs. A lot of my friends from facebook have been quoting his words, posting articles about him and also the inspirational speech he had at Standford University. People are talking about him as someone who had a great impact upon the world and has changed it, a visionary and genious, a great man. And though I have many things I could object about related to his vision, lifestyle, values, etc. this is not what I want to talk about. His death and people's comments made me think about greatness.

A great man... What makes someone a great person? How do I define greatness?

I remember sitting in my office and translating a program in which C.D. Brooks was interviewed. And as I was listening to him speaking, my eyes got moist. He talked with so much power!!! Every morning, as I am going to work with the earphones pluged in ears, I am listening to God's word preached by different people. And many times my eyes become moist because the Holy Spirit is at work. For me, they are great people.

I know a lot of people who have left the comfort of their houses, left their families behind and chose to go in the middle of the nowhere, in the jungle or desert, to far away lands, to live a life of self-denial and hardships in order to take the Gospel to people who have never heard about Jesus. People who have given their all to God, people who live by faith and depend on God alone. For me, they are great people.

I am more and more fascinated by biographies of people who lived a life of prayer, people like John Hyde, known as Praying Hyde, Rees Howels, Charles Finney, Geroge Muller, E.M. Bounds, Martin Luther, David Livingstone. People who learned what prevailing prayer means, who learned not to let go of God unless He blessed them, who felt a burden for souls and who interceeded for others. People who went forward in faith and stepped into the Jordan believeing that the waters will be parted. And I am also fascinante by people who are alive and do the same things. For me, they are great people.

I admire people who, even though they might not be called to the foreign mission fields, they do whatever they can to glorify God where they are. People who are humble and who do not depend on their own wisdom. They choose to do the work that lies nearest to them. They choose to be faithful in the little things and they are living testimonies wherever God placed them. For me, they are great people.

I also admire people who understand that, in order to serve God, you must first be willing to forsake your reputation and work for the glory of God and the betterment of others. People who are available to be broken, to die to self, and to be put back together by God. For me, they are great people.

So, for me, a great person is someone ...

... who is humble.

... who is meek.

... who seeking for God with all His heart.

... who depends on God and makes sure that he does not do what he wants, but what God wants him to do.

... who does not try to please people, but God. 

... who is willing to answer God's call.

... who does not make plans of His own and is

... who lives to bless others.

... who has a ferent prayer life.

... who is ready to give up his dreams to live God's dreams for his life.

... who lives a simple life.

... who glorifies God through His words and behaviour.

... who is not ashamed of Jesus.

... who is not afraid to admit his mistakes.

... who does not trust his own wisdom, but trust in God's wisdom.

... who inspire those around him to love God more.

... who is willing to be broken and to be put together back by God.

... who is in love with God.

... for whom God is everything and enough.

And the list can go on...

They might not be the brightest people. They might not have revolutionized the world with their inventions. They might not be known world-wide. They may not have been given awards. And they many not have the peope's recognition. But they have changed lives for eternity. They have drawn people closer to God. They have shown others God's love. And they surely have the heaven's recognition and a crown waiting for them. No, they are not perfect people. They have their own struggles but they have learned to depend on God, they have seen their need of Him, they have asked Him to take full control of them and this is what makes the difference.

If you think that such people do not exist anymore, let me tell you that they do. I praise God for surrounding me with such people lately. It is one of the greatest blessings He has ever given me. And it is one of the greatest honors I have received from Him.

So, I thank God for the great people that have lived in all the ages, for those who are living today and for the ones He brought in my life. Only eternity will fully reveal their greatness.