True Greatness

I love to study people and discover a element of greatness that might be in them. Everyone one of us, every human being on this planet, has been given a capacity for greatness from our maker.  I’ve also discovered that people use that greatness in differing ways. I usually simplify the differing uses of greatness down to one of two categories:

• Greatness that only benefits themselves.
• Greatness that benefits others and the world around them.          

I read this morning in a William Barclay devotional, about the measure of truly great men and women. It really got me thinking, perhaps it will you too. Here were some of his thoughts on truly great people:

• always thoughtful
• never finds it safe to judge others by externals only
• shows grace in both giving and receiving
• does not think of his place or prestige
• only little people think of how great they are
• only unimportant people think of how important they are
• no task that helps someone else is ever below their dignity