This past week the republican presidential candidates held their second debate, as everyone knows. Every time we watch these debates or hear about them, they are usually summarized by every candidate blowing their own horns. This one was no different. But really, who is the greatest among them all! WE of course know who thinks he is!!! The interesting thing is that people who boast about being greatest are often the most insecure of all!

And that’s the question the apostles were arguing about as well. Jesus of course knows what they are debating and he also understands that they are struggling to find a close relationship with Him. “If I am the greatest maybe I will be the closest or the most rewarded by Jesus”. As usual Jesus cuts through all that and tells them that the least will be the greatest.

What Jesus is saying is that God doesn’t view us in those terms: greatest or least. God sees every person just as they are and He loves us that way. It is counterproductive for us to compare ourselves to others. No one person is greater or less than another in the eyes of God. Each of us has our own merit and value in God’s eyes. Each of us is created by God in His love and providence. And each of us is called into a relationship with God whereby He brings us to life and offers us salvation.

Next time we find ourselves comparing, envious, or jealous, let’s remember that those are human frailties; that they are not the terms that God see us; that our value and dignity is intrinsic and forever in the eyes of God.