Sports fans are familiar with “goats” — and I’m not talking about bearded farm animals. I mean the Greatest Of All Time.

In American football, Tom Brady’s G.O.A.T. status is practically undisputed. In other sports, there are debates. In soccer, is it Ronaldo or Messi? In basketball, is it King James or Michael Jordan? Every fan has an opinion.

There is something compelling about greatness in any endeavor. We are fascinated by those who are not satisfied with being merely good. We admire the combination of talent and hard work that greatness requires.

Yes, “Great” can also be associated with negative things — the Great Depression, the Great War. But the meaning is similar: something that stands out among all others.

for Christians, what does it mean to be great? Society sees greatness differently than Jesus did.

Jesus’ disciples needed to learn this lesson. They had an argument about which of them was the G.O.A.T. They were competitive.

Did each one think he was the greatest? Or did they narrow down the candidates?

No matter how the argument went, Jesus rebuked their pride.

He said, “But not so with you; rather the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as one who serves” (Luke 22:26-27).

Jesus redefined greatness. He inverted the equation. Instead of seeking power and praise, Jesus taught his disciples — and therefore also us, his disciples today — to be humble servants.

Instead of asking how we can win and rise to the top, we should ask how we can serve others.

There is an indonesian proverb, Diatas langit masih ada langit, which means, “There is still sky above the sky.” This tells us that no matter how high somebody’s achievement reaches, there is always something greater.

It’s like the saying in sports that ­“rec­ords are made to be broken.” The one who is currently the greatest probably won’t be the greatest forever.

Jesus taught that instead of being full of pride and arrogance, we need to be humble. He said, “For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 14:11)

In a society that seeks upward mobility, Jesus’ message is the same. We are all equally great in God’s eyes, regardless of our status in the world’s eyes. We don’t need to climb the social ladder. We just need to follow Jesus and serve others.

For some people, this message is disturbing — and not just because they don’t want to serve. Since they have power and privilege, they don’t want to be equal with others. For them, equality would feel like losing greatness.

But for people without power and privilege, equality is good news.

The challenge for Anabaptist Christians who have power and privilege is to see equality as good news.

Everything depends upon what kind of greatness we aspire to. People will get to heaven not because of their wealth or righteousness but because Jesus saves them.

JUST LIKE TODAY, athletic events were popular in first-century Greco-Roman culture. Paul used a sports analogy to describe the determination, focus and discipline Jesus modeled in serving others.

He compares life to a race. However, the goal is not a medal but an eternal crown. The competition is not to defeat others but to serve them.

“Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it. Athletes exercise self-control in all things; they do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable one. So I do not run aimlessly, nor do I box as though beating the air; but I punish my body and enslave it, so that after proclaiming to others I myself should not be disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:24-27).

Jesus is the G.O.A.T. He used his power not for gain nor glory but to serve the powerless.

Do you want to be great? Do you want to win a prize that lasts forever? Then follow Jesus’ example of greatness.