Jesus had much to say regarding greatness, values systems and personal quest: "He that will be chief among you..."; "Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth...," etc. Given such, the question sooner or later becomes: "what really counts?"
Not only so, but within one's commitment to the spiritually meaningful it is yet easy at times to confuse the altruistic and the self serving. Gospel service, for example, can readily metamorphose into agency of personal ambition, recognition and self-aggrandizement - with the lines of distinction more than a little blurred.
The subject arose while having coffee with a friend today. Memory brought to mind a time in which the fellowship with which we were then affiliated sponsored monthly "fellowship meetings" in which, on a rotating basis, associated area congregations would meet at the various churches. The highlighted evening service was characterized, among other things, by a "word of greeting" from each of the attending pastors.
As a "revivalist" organization, the anticipated "word" (typically a misnomer for reasons soon obvious) would begin with a pastor's glowing report of "the great things God is doing in our midst." Not to be outdone, the second pastor's "word" would tend to share the even greater things God was doing in his congregation, etc. - until by the time the last preacher shared his "word," one might well wonder how the region at large seemed somehow to fail of great revival. On the way home, I would sometimes remark to my wife that with regard to that portion of the service, I was not quite sure whether we had been to church or a gathering of fishermen.
The problem was that in supposedly promoting the cause of Christ, the net result often became that of focusing upon oneself and his obviously "great" ministry. Whatever its intent, I was never able to discern the benefit of the routine.
By way of contrast, I was impressed earlier this morning with the man in Scripture who surrendered his "large, furnished guest room" (Luke 22:11-12) to Jesus and his Disciples for their observance of the Passover. We do not know his degree of understanding in relation to Christ's ministry and its claims - nor do we know his name. Previous contact, if at all, appears to have been minimal. The Disciples apparently had no knowledge of him. Yet in yielding the facility which he would have likely used for his own family's observance of the rite - itself an act of faith - he was privileged to host the Son of God in one of history's most significant events. While hearing nothing of the man's greatness or spirituality, it was nonetheless there - and it counted.
It was a refreshing thought.
Burl Ratzsch
