Mark 9:34 “But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.”
Who Is the Greatest?
Have you ever had a discussion about who is the greatest? Whether you were discussing who was the greatest dad, the greatest player in a particular sport, or the greatest automobile manufacturer, you have probably been involved in a “greatest” discussion. Usually these conversations are hotly contested and become contentious in no time!
For instance, which computer is the greatest, Mac or PC? Who makes the greatest truck, Ford or Chevy? Who is the greatest team in baseball? Football? Who is the greatest player to ever play the sport you love? I could divide the First Light readership in half right here, right now!
Lest you think that people only divide over silly things like cars and sports, Christians today can be just as divisive arguing about who is the greatest preacher, what is the greatest Bible college, or what is the greatest church in America. The truth is, anytime the question of “the greatest” is raised, it always brings contention!
The question of “the greatest” is not a new question; the Lord’s own disciples had a dispute about the greatest way back in Mark chapter 9! Who is the greatest in your life? Does the answer you would give match the answer that you live? Who is number one in your life?
You can know who is greatest in your life by how you treat children. Kids can’t inflate your ego, and they certainly can’t repay you. They’re kids! You can also know who is greatest in your life by how you treat competitors. The Lord Jesus addressed both kids and competitors immediately after the disciples disputed about who would be the greatest. “Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me. . . . For he that is not against us is on our part.”
Do what you want to with automobiles, computers, and football teams, but when it comes to the Lord Jesus, the only way it works is if Christ is first. Who is the greatest in your life?