The measure of greatness

A person's greatness is not measured by the amount of money he has in his bank account, or the amount of property he acquired or the intellectual capacity of his scholars, or the accumulation of high standards degrees, but by the value of life he has touched and how he has used his God-given gifts for the transformation of his immediate environment and humanity.

It is true that our generation has been engulfed in a culture obsessed with material wealth and status, but every time I come across such a person, I see an empty shell of a person whose life force or soul has been sucked away. I would rather be in the company of a man who has nothing than in the company of a man who is in possession of everything and lives in misery and dispair.

In the midst of the economic downturn, many have been left wondering what those who have been able to acquire a lot of wealth have done to merit such success. In this constant quest to measure up and outdo one another, we have forgotten about the true measure of human greatness – the value of life we have touched and how we have used our God-given gifts for the transformation of our immediate environment and humanity.

The measure of greatness of a person is not given to him by his academic or professional qualification or his bank account or his social status, but by the impact he makes on the society around him.

Some people are famous for their money and not their contributions. Some have been given good skills and abilities but no one has ever been raised with their strength. People are fortunate to have a good management position, but they do not see the need to help others. Some have found themselves in leadership and administrative positions and their people suffer greatly. Some are on the throne but do not want to put others on the throne. People enjoy all the good things in life without thinking about how they can build or at least contribute to the happiness of others. Some people are incredibly rich without raising others. Some are so powerful that they do not see the need to strengthen others. People are in a position of service but they do not serve anyone. People are blessed but never go out to bless others. This is not greatness, true greatness is found in great contributions.

We are not great if we can't make others great. No one is great if others cannot follow the greatness in him. In fact, no one is great by isolating himself. One rich man in a poor community is also poor. We cannot call ourselves great if our people die of disease, caused by poverty. We are not enlightened when our people have no light (physically or mentally). What defines our true greatness is what we do for others; how many people get their daily bread from us, how many people are healthy because of our offerings. We have to give more to get more. If you want to do more with life, you have to give others more. No one can be truly rich without enriching the lives of others. Money is like a river, where it flows out, everything in its path is refreshed and turned green. But if it is blocked, everything on the road will dry up. The flowers wither and the trees die.

Accumulated treasures are like a reservoir because their water does not flow. It breeds germs and diseases, but when it does, it is refreshing and healing. Wealth does not mean much if it does not transform the lives of others. We have to get out with our wealth. We should be greate for God and mankind. We do not have to make mistakes because there is a divine purpose for all greatness.

Let’s change the narrative. The measure of greatness is not how much wealth you’ve accumulated. It is not the size of your house or the kind of car you drive. It is not about that. Do you have gold, cows, cars, and properties? Is your house decorated with precious stones? But is it enough? Do you have the measure of greatness?

Will you be greatly remembered through your wealth when you are gone? Or will you be forgotten with your treasures in the grave?

Yes. You are rich. You are wealthy. You are ambitious. You want to accumulate more and more wealth. But do you know that when you got all this wealth but did not use them in the right way, it will be in vain in the end of time.

There are many people who do not know the measure of their wealth. They hoard it in their homes or banks, but they do not realize that all their wealth will make them useless when they die. There are no benefits when the riches are buried in the ground at death. We must know what our wealth is for.

Problems dissolve in the presence of generous men who see their greatness as a tool to save others. Distress and grief are far removed from those who walk happily and heartily in raising others who are oppressed. Of all the good qualities, the one that comes with the most benefits is the most important, and this is what makes a man great. Grace makes life kind and winning. It promotes good health and gives clarity and strength to the mind. Kindness is a bright heart that fights against the clouds and the darkness of selfishness. The kind people are great, grateful and happy, renewed age and strong. They illuminate life and reflect God.

The great man is the one that is great in goodwill. A great man is not great for only himself alone. True greatness makes others great. Greatness is not in what a person has but what he does with the acquisition. It is not how much you have climbed the stage of success but how many people have come up behind you through your efforts or contributions. The measurement for greatness is not the number of houses and cars a person owns but the amount of life affected. Not in the position of authority and power but in the position of empowering and influencing people and society.

I have a feeling that the only time the people will give a damn about what happens to you is when they need something from you. You can be a great man if you are not afraid to be a servant to the society from which you drew your greatness. Greatness is useless if we do not make other people and our society bigger in our small ways. People do not care how much we know until they know how much we care. The big man is known for how he treats the little men. We can all be good because we can all serve; but we are not great because we do not all serve. We can only be good to the extent that we work for humanity from the family and the immediate community. Above all, we should all serve the God who gives us the power to make riches.

The measure of greatness is, not in how much we accomplish for ourselves, but in how much we accomplish for others. If there ever comes a day when we feel entitled to say, “I have enough; I don’t need anything; I don’t owe anything anymore”, that day our lives will be emptied and meaningless.