Emerging Greatness 2

By Oluyemi Adeosun & Yetunde Olatoye

Can anything good come out of Nazareth? [ John 1 vs. 46.]

-This statement was made by Nathaniel when Philip told him about Jesus Christ. And Philip said to him “Come and See!”. When the world doubts the veracity of your greatness, do not look down on yourself. If anybody attempts to put you down simply tell them to watch out for you. Tell them to “Come and See!”.

There is a cross to carry on the path to greatness. You will need some help along the way. A Yoruba adage says “it is from a black pot that a white pap comes out”. Your background does not determine your destiny. Carl Jung said, “I am not what happen to me, I am what I chose to become”. There may be giants in the land but if we align with God, we shall overcome them. It is not what you have that matters rather how you handle and optimize what you have.



…Servant of All?

I am thinking upon the man or woman who prays in desperation for the lost souls of those they love and even those they don’t know. This takes a call to action, dedication, fervency and a need to be humble. “Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit.” They are often shunned and disrespected by those they give up their time to help. This is the true understanding to love others more than yourself.

Hint... great men are doing things great men do!

They are expanding their minds, helping others, giving service to those in need, enjoying healthy hobbies, supporting family and loved ones, volunteering, working honestly, living with integrity, connecting with nature, challenging their skills, making a difference in the world... Instances of such greatness come to mind in the persons of Mother Theresa, Mahatma Ghandi, Nelson Mandela and of course Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself: people who for the sake of the all, make personal sacrifices and give unselfishly for the good of all; yet this is done in all humility and love. True greatness is about service. Scripture says it well: Whosoever must be the greatest must be the servant of all…



Count it all joy…

To have “greatness emerge” sometimes does take adversity, challenges, war or calamity, and we are in a very real battle. For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does…For our struggle is not against the flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. These struggles do not necessarily occur in grandiose, spectacular fashions, but are often encountered in the seemingly mundane issues of life encountered everyday.

There are certainly moments of great distress that bring out courage and bravery but then, there are other situations occurring every day which are given absolutely no attention and yet they draw upon “emerging greatness” to display rare bravery and courage. Of course these stories may never be headline news or even become footnotes in history books but humility isn’t looking for a pat on the back. The important thing is that, when the service is needed, despite it all, greatness must not be found lacking.

“greatness only emerges when needed most”

We are living in a time where this greatness must emerge now because it’s most needed!



In conclusion, have a positive attitude. Be rest assured that whatever you are facing right now is working together for your good. Don’t become bitter or angry. Be grateful to God for your present resources and do your best with them. Count your blessings. The future harvest is a function of the seeds you sow today. The seeds of greatness are within you. Sow them and reap your great harvest!