If you could accomplish one "great" thing for the kingdom of God, what would it be?

If you could leave a lasting legacy, what would it be?

The truth is this ... you do, indeed, have this one-of-a-kind opportunity!

You, as a package of frail humanity, have the opportunity to do something so miraculous and so extraordinary with your life that heaven will stand to its feet and roar in approval!

You, as a mere parcel of weaknesses and doubts, of strengths and quirks, of talents and imperfections, have been given the grand probability of making a difference at your moment in recorded history.

We all have a calling upon our lives that is beyond anything we could ever dream or imagine.

You know, I have been thinking lately how I raised my children to dream big dreams and to climb high mountains. I taught them that they were pre-wired to live an unprecedented life. And all of that is true, isn't it?

But what if I had taught my children how to be servants instead? What if I had taught them, by word and by example, that in order to live a truly great life you must discover the joy of serving others?

"Whoever would be great among you, let him serve you" (Matt. 20:26b).

What if, rather than challenging my children to earn degrees, hit home runs, write best-selling books or compose great pieces of music, I had simply taught them the uncommon value of humble servanthood?

Perhaps we have it all wrong. Maybe those of us who live in the Western world in the first part of the 21st century have been hoodwinked and lied to by our culture and by the expectations of ministry.

Our culture places great value on entertainment, on championship rings and on political prowess. Our culture esteems business acumen, notoriety and Ivy-League degrees.

The mindset of Western ministry is that in order to be a success your church must be mega, your books must be best-sellers and your name must be well-known.

Now, there is nothing intrinsically wrong with Grammy Awards, college scholarships or running for political office. But none of those things has the power to make a person "great" in his or her heart.

There is nothing wrong with large churches, best-selling books and name recognition; however, those are not the values of the kingdom.

Earthly accomplishments are not the stuff of which a great life is made.

A great life is always built upon the foundation of servanthood. Always.

The purpose that God has for you in your own generation is to serve those who are in need, to love those who are difficult and to be patient with those who are prickly.

The purpose that God has for you in your own generation is to call your mother or grandmother, to listen to your children's jokes and to say an encouraging word to the people on your ministry team.

The purpose that God has for you in your own generation is to go about doing good, just as Jesus did.

"[You know] how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good ..." (Acts 10:38).

If "doing good" was "good" enough for Jesus, then it is good enough for you, and it is good enough for me.

So, today, my dear friend, don't get lost in the quagmire of success, of accomplishment or of notoriety. Simply find someone who needs a helping hand and then offer it.

You will discover your great purpose when you determine that Jesus has called you to be just like Him. And He turned His 33 years of earthly living into a grand-slam demonstration of the goodness and power of God.

Carol McLeod is an author and popular speaker at women's conferences and retreats, where she teaches the Word of God with great joy and enthusiasm. Carol encourages and empowers women with passionate and practical biblical messages mixed with her own special brand of hope and humor. She has written five books, including No More Ordinary, Holy Estrogen!, The Rooms of a Woman's Heart and Defiant Joy! Her most recent book, Refined: Finding Joy in the Midst of the Fire, was released last August. Her teaching DVD, The Rooms of a Woman's Heart, won the Telly Award, a prestigious industry award for excellence in religious programming. You can also listen to Carol's Jolt of Joy" program daily on the Charisma Podcast Network. Connect with Carol or inquire about her speaking to your group at justjoyministries.com.

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