Sunday, March 3, 2019

In Pursuit of Greatness

"Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant..." - Jesus in Matthew 20:26 

In our society greatness is coveted. It is revered. The talking heads have us debating the G.O.A.T.s of this and that all the time. Those who are considered great in our eyes are the ones who have sacrificed their blood, sweat, and tears. They have performed amazing feats and have made it to the pinnacle of their profession. The greats have worked harder and slept less than anyone else. They have devoted their lives to and perfected their craft.

In our profession, the greats are those who know their job, never stop learning, work at the busiest houses, make the most fires/runs and pass on their knowledge to anyone willing to listen and learn. The greats in firefighting stare death and destruction in the eye, don't flinch outwardly, and have the accolades to prove it. Hopefully we all aspire to be great in our profession. Greatness should be heralded and expected, especially when lives depend on it.

While having our peers or the general public herald us as great is honorable, we should desire to be great in God's eyes. Jesus says it simply. To be great is to serve. I knew a firefighter who served better than most. His name was Herman. On his off days, unbeknownst to most, Herman was said to have taken meals to and spent countless hours with a brother firefighter who lost everything while battling cancer. He would privately write checks or donate food and toys any time his church was feeding the hungry for Thanksgiving or providing gifts for kids during Christmas. If you needed help moving, you had his time and his truck. If you had a need and he knew about it, chances are he would meet it without being asked and without you being present to thank him. Herman was a servant in every sense of the word. Though quiet and reserved, he was great.

True servants serve without being asked.They give of their time and resources without hesitation and without expecting anything in return. They certainly do not care about recognition. They can be found serving their families, coworkers, neighbors, and strangers on a daily basis. Those who are great in God's eyes embrace serving as a lifestyle. 
 -Captain Bobby Delgado, HFD Chaplain


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