The Measure of Greatness

"If you could meet and photograph one person from the Bible other than Christ, who would it be and why?"

This question was put to me several months ago. I took it down and filed it away somewhere on my hard drive, then promptly forgot about it. I stumbled upon that file today when looking for something else, and I'm pondering my answer to such a question.

At first thought, I assumed I would want to photograph my heroes. Killer-Saul turned Preacher-Paul. David, the weeping, worshipping warrior-king. Peter, the foot-in-the-mouth, impulsive disciple turned passionate, Christ-centered leader. Isaiah, the man of God with a shocking words and a poet's heart. Job and Habbakuk, both men who unashamedly questioned God because they were determined to know Him for themselves, not based on what others said about Him.

But

If cameras were conceivable then, if I had the ability to visually document these men of faith, if I could tell their story... what would I really see? If I had a camera then, would I even know they would one day be in the Bible? The men and women of faith were just regular men and women that lived their lives wholeheartedly for God. How did anyone know that they were special? It's not like they wore a sign that read, "Take note: future famous man/woman of God."

A few of them were set apart, like John the Baptist, whose father was visited by an angel, or the Apostles, who saw Christ firsthand and personally received their callings from Him. But not all of them, at least, not that we know of. Often times they followed personal callings from God (like most of the prophets), not public anointings and callings. Many were despised and looked down upon. How would I know that they were worth shooting? What set them apart from the other men and women of faith whose lives and work are barely mentioned, if remembered at all?

Then I think about my life, and all of the incredible people that cross my path each day. What sets them apart? What sets me apart? How does one know that a life is worth capturing? What is the measure of greatness?

Thus says our God:

"Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord." Jeremiah 9:23-24