At the core of every human heart are two forces: selfishness and selflessness. One grabs for one's own gain. The other lays itself down for love. The world celebrates the first. Heaven celebrates the second.
And the truth is, God’s measure of greatness is staggering.
Ephesians 1:4-7 (NLT) says: “Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace He has poured out on us who belong to His dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that He purchased our freedom with the blood of His Son and forgave our sins.”
I don’t know about you, but when I read that, I have to stop and just breathe it in. Before time began, before He hung stars in the sky or painted the first sunrise, God already knew the story of humanity. He knew we’d blow it. He knew about every betrayal, every selfish act, every word of hatred, every broken promise, and every personal failure we’d carry. He knew we’d break His heart.
And He knew the only way to bring us home would be the most costly rescue plan of all—the Cross. His Son. His blood. His pain for our peace.
Yet God looked at all of that and said, “I choose them anyway.”
That’s not just theology. That’s the kind of love that makes your knees weak. That’s selflessness so pure, it shatters every false definition of greatness we’ve ever believed.
Why would God do it? Because real love doesn’t control or force itself on anyone. It gives freedom—the choice to love Him back or to walk away. And freedom is risky. It meant we could rebel. And we did. But love wouldn’t let Him abandon us. So from the start, He wrote redemption into the story, knowing it would cost Him everything.
That is greatness. The kind that doesn’t grab, but gives. The kind that lays it all down.
We catch glimpses of this same kind of selfless greatness throughout Scripture. Think about the poor widow at the temple, giving her last two coins while the wealthy gave out of their excess (Mark 12:41-44). Nobody in the crowd noticed her sacrifice. There was no applause, no pat on the back. But Jesus noticed. He said her gift mattered more than all the rest—not because of the amount, but because of the heart that gave it.
Or Mary, breaking open an alabaster jar of perfume worth a year’s wages just to pour it on Jesus’ feet. People whispered and criticized. Jesus called it beautiful.
Or Anna, praying faithfully in the temple day after day, while the world walked past her unseen devotion. Simeon, waiting his whole life to see a Savior the world wasn’t looking for. A Roman centurion, using his resources to build a synagogue for a people he wasn’t expected to love.
Greatness in God’s eyes rarely makes headlines here. It’s not about spotlight moments—it’s about a quiet, consistent “yes” to God and to loving others.
And yes, sometimes that feels risky. You wonder, “If I live selflessly, won’t people just take advantage of me?” But selflessness in the Kingdom isn’t weakness. It’s not about losing yourself, ignoring your needs, or saying yes out of guilt. It’s about giving out of love—love that listens to God, love that reflects His heart.
It doesn’t erase your value. It shows it.
I’ll never forget sitting at a Minnesota Twins baseball game with my sons, Peter and Matt, when God dropped a truth into my heart that stopped me cold. God spoke Proverbs 18:24 (NKJV) to my heart, which says: “A man who has friends must show himself friendly, and there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
That moment redefined for me what real friendship and real love look like. They comfort. They stay loyal. They speak truth even when it stings. They lift you up when you fall. They share life with you. They give wise counsel when you need it most. Look at what Scripture says:
- A friend comforts you in trouble. (Job 2:11)
- A friend is loyally devoted. (Job 6:14)
- A friend loves at all times. (Proverbs 17:17)
- A friend tells the truth, even when it hurts. (Proverbs 27:6)
- A friend lifts you up when you fall. (Ecclesiastes 4:10)
- A friend is intimate and trusted. (John 15:15)
- A friend gives wise counsel. (Proverbs 27:9)
Whether you’re a parent, a friend, a leader, or just someone who wants to leave a mark on this world, know this: True greatness isn’t measured by how high you climb. It’s measured by how deeply you love and how much you give.
Selflessness is not just a virtue—it’s the pathway to becoming the kind of leader who makes God’s headlines.
Jesus said it best: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” – John 15:13 (NKJV)
