ILI Core Leadership Blog. Building Leaders on Biblical Core Values.

Ayla Wells 2/8/19 Ayla Wells 2/8/19

The Measure of Greatness

How do you define great? Is it by the world’s standards? Check out God’s definition of greatness here!

Donald Trump ran for president of the United States using the slogan, “Make America Great Again.” It was a phrase that resonated with many people, even with some who did not prefer Donald Trump, himself.

Defining great

How does one define what is considered “great,” however?

It is usually defined by success or winning either by making the highest score, having the best economy, or accomplishing more than everyone else. Whoever wins is great, certainly greater than whoever lost.

This is not only true in the minds of those who want to, “Make America Great Again,” but is also the majority opinion of our society. Participation trophies exist because we value the feeling of greatness. We know how important it is to us so we try to make sure everyone feels like they have also won. After the Super Bowl, the winner is considered great, and the loser is quickly forgotten. Second place may have been good, but not good enough, and good does not matter when we desire greatness.

defining good

God measures greatness differently than we do, however. God thinks that being good is better than being great. He determines true greatness by genuine goodness, not by winning. While it is true that we should strive to succeed, we must not think of success as being more than what it is. God is more concerned with the inner quality of the heart being good, rather than the outward action appearing great.

Alexis de Tocqueville’s famous quote concerning the greatness of America is true for a nation, as well as for an individual. He stated, “America is great because she is good. If America ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.” His words reflect God’s perspective on greatness. Greatness is not marked by worldly achievement, but by the level of Godly morality exhibited as an expression of the heart.

God said that the one who is greatest in God’s kingdom is the one who is the servant of all (Mark 9:35). When God came to earth in human flesh, He came as a servant. His nature was fully good. If a person wants to be great, then, like Jesus, that person must be good. The same is true for a nation. If we want to make America (or any nation) great again, that nation can only become good when its individuals decide that being good in God’s eyes is more important than being great in the eyes of the world. And since Jesus said, “There is none good but God,” (Mark 10:18) we can only be good by following Him. Greatness is measured by goodness, and goodness comes only through our surrender to Jesus Christ.

The Power of Pentecost

Pentecost is not just a historical event but an ongoing reality that empowers believers with the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit for holy living and bold witness. Christian leaders today are invited to lead not from their own strength but from the transformative power and presence of God within.

Ash Wednesday

As Lent commences on Ash Wednesday, we are entering a time of introspection and prayer leading to Easter. Let us reflect on the significance of death preceding resurrection, urging readers to embrace a daily practice of surrendering self in preparation for our spiritual transformation.

Being Connected

Despite being more technologically linked than ever, studies now show loneliness and disconnection are at an all-time high. How does this trend truly affect your spiritual life and personal connection with God?

Maintaining a Life of Integrity

Every believer agrees that maintaining our integrity is one of best things we could for our spiritual life, but does it have to be so difficult. Read more to find out how to build consistency with maintaining your integrity.

Who You Are When No One is Looking

In a broken world that is constantly trying to bring us down, striving for genuine righteousness throughout our lives is not easy, but the good news is… it is possible.

Five Things You May Not Know About the Lord’s Prayer

Do you Pray “The Prayer?” This prayer unites Christians in all parts of the world. Though the Lord’s Prayer is well known to believers everywhere, when you look hard at its words, you can learn from how this prayer can guide and impact your daily life.

The Cross

The cross casts the most significant shadow in all of human history. It is where we see the righteousness, justice, and love of God working together for our great good. This Easter, our thoughts are centered around the cross, upon which Jesus Christ was crucified.

Lion and the Lamb

The scriptures speak of Jesus in extremes, as both the Lion of the tribe of Judah and the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. The most important thing to remember is that Jesus is always able to be exactly what you need!

An Outpouring of the Holy Spirit

Everyone has their own opinion about what has happened at the events sounding the revival at Asbury University. But it is hard to deny there is truly a movement of God taking place.

Three Ways Christian Leaders Lead Differently

Here are three key aspects of leadership to consider if you want to lead from a true Biblical perspective.

Trust But Verify

In order to navigate between what is true in our world today, the adage “trust, but verify,” is an essential concept as we learn to discern God’s voice from all the other voices surrounding us.

Proclamation and Practice

In many parts of the world, Christians can practice their faith but can not proclaim it. Does your life help others see and hear the Gospel?

ILITeam 2/13/17 ILITeam 2/13/17

GOOD IS NOT GREAT

We often settle for what is good. Good church, good ideas, good projects, good visions, good goals, and so on. The problem with good is it isn’t bad. We can easily discern what is bad, but what also distracts us from God’s greatness is a focus on things that are good, but don’t make it to the level of greatness.

Author James Collins wrote the best seller From Good to Great, exploring special characteristics that make great companies different from those that are simply “good.” He shares how they sustain their greatness over time, and declares, “Good is the enemy of great. And that is one of the key reasons why we have so little that becomes great.”

WE SETTLE FOR GOOD

I don’t know about you, but I certainly have been guilty of settling for a good church, good ideas, good projects, good visions, good goals, and so on. I know I am stating the obvious, but the problem with “the good” is, it isn’t bad. We can easily discern and avoid what is bad, but what also distracts us from God’s greatness is a focus on things that are good, or even very good, but don’t make it to the level of greatness.

FIVE WAYS TO DISCERN GREAT FROM GOOD

Let me suggest five indicators to help us discern what is great in God’s sight from what is only good. Great things:

Align with God’s Purpose. One of the greatest lessons I learned from the author Henry Blackaby is that there is no such thing as “God’s will for my life,” but simply God’s will. Great things align with God’s purpose, which is much greater than anything we could accomplish by our own initiative.
Manifest Kingdom Values. God’s Kingdom is about greatness. It is about justice, mercy, peace, love, and so much more. Anything worth the title “great” aligns with these values.
Stretch Us Beyond Our Comfort Zone. Because greatness comes from God, it cannot be measured according to our abilities, but only God’s power. In 2 Corinthians 5:7, Paul states, “We live by faith, not by sight.” God’s greatness is often hidden from plain sight, showing itself in the realm of faith, only visible to those who dare to believe.
Require a Disciplined Effort. Good things can either be easy or difficult to accomplish, but achieving great things requires a concerted, disciplined effort over a period of time. There will be moments of discouragement and even failure along the way, but the prize in the end will make the discipline worth the effort.
Build Up Others. Jesus is our ultimate model. He didn’t come to be served, but to serve others. God’s purpose and Kingdom are about building others up. The same can be said for anything truly great in God’s sight.

Biblical visionary leaders cast vision, set goals, mobilize people, and overcome obstacles in order to build God’s Kingdom on earth. If you and I want to be leaders like these, we must learn to discern the "great" from the "good.” The five indicators above are a good starting point in our journey of learning.