But it must not be so among you. Rather, whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant.
This saying is the foundation of Christian greatness. In Christ’s community, the law of worldly ambition does not operate. To be great does not mean to place oneself above others, but to humble oneself in order to serve them. To be a “servant” means to put one’s own interest in a lower place and, with love, to serve the well-being of others. This is not outward politeness, but a deep transformation of the heart. Christ’s disciple is great not by how much others serve him, but by how much he himself serves with the love of Christ.