A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. (Luke 22:24-26)
If you want to have a lively discussion with your fellow golfers, just pose this question: Who is the greatest golfer of all time? Although a case can be made for Bobby Jones, for most people it boils down to either Jack Nicklaus or Tiger Woods.
A strong case can be made for Tiger. He has 82 tour wins vs 73 for Jack. His 15 major wins in 88 starts is a much better percentage than Jack’s 18 majors in 164 starts. And of course, there was the Tiger Slam, winning four consecutive majors in a row starting with the 2000 US Open and concluding with the 2001 Masters. Tiger also holds the greatest margin of victory in a major, an amazing 15-shot win at Pebble Beach in the 2000 US Open.
But let’s look at the man that Tiger was always chasing, Jack Nicklaus. As noted earlier, Jack captured 18 majors, most of all time. Even when Jack didn’t win, it seemed like he was always in the hunt. He had had 19 second-place finishes in majors, compared to 7 runner-ups for Tiger. If you expand it to top 5 finishes, Jack had 56 vs Tiger’s 31. And Jack holds the record for the longest span between major victories at 24 years. His first came at the 1962 US Open with a playoff win over Arnold Palmer at Oakmont and concluded with his amazing come-from-behind win in the 1986 Masters, at age 46.
As I said earlier, it makes for a great debate. And debates about who is the greatest have been going on for at least a couple of thousand years. Today’s scripture tells of a dispute among the disciples on that very subject. Let’s take a moment to examine the irony of this story. These are the men that gave up their lives to follow Jesus.
For three years, day in and day out, they have been around and taught by the most striking example of humility the world has ever known. Israel expected a mighty and powerful king, but God sent his humble and obedient Son, who told the world, “I come not to be served, but to serve” and “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
The life of Jesus shows us that in God’s value system, greatness is not based on status or power; in fact, it’s just the opposite.
The disciples’ embarrassing argument takes place in the Upper Room, immediately following the Lord’s Supper. In chapter 13 of John’s gospel, we’re told of something Jesus did during the meal. He got up from the table, took off his outer garment, knelt & proceeded to wash the feet of all 12 disciples.
Even though he was just hours away from his arrest, torture, and crucifixion on the Cross of Calvary, Jesus performed a task usually done not just by a servant, but by the lowest of servants. Right up to the very end, the Great Teacher chose to instruct his disciples about the importance of service and humility.
The life of Jesus shows us that in God’s value system, greatness is not based on status or power; in fact, it’s just the opposite. Thomas Merton summed it up well: “Our Christian destiny is, in fact, a great one: but we cannot achieve greatness unless we lose all interest in being great.”
Prayer: Father, help us in the ongoing struggle against our pride and self-centeredness. May we strive to follow the example of your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord, and Savior. Amen