Article February 16, 1957 Issue

TRUE GREATNESS

LUCILE O. THROCKMORTON

Mankind have always desired to achieve some degree of greatness. Children at play pretend that they are famous people or great heroes accomplishing wonderful feats of valor. Men and women try to establish their greatness through business and social prestige and by the accumulation of material things. Nations measure their greatness by the size of their armies and navies and their knowledge of atomic power. But sooner or later mankind learn that a sense of mere human greatness leaves them unsatisfied. Always there appears to be someone who has accomplished something still greater or a goal that is quite beyond one's reach. How, then, can we attain true greatness when our daily human experience often seems humdrum and routine?

Centuries ago a mighty Hebrew king acknowledged the only greatness that really is. He said (I Chron. 29:11,12): "Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all."

David uttered these words as he was preparing to relinquish his throne and give it to his son Solomon. David had assembled the entire congregation of the people to tell them of his plans for entrusting his work to his son. He counseled Solomon to have courage, not to fear, and he assured him that God would be with him and would not fail or forsake him.

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