In recent weeks there has been much in the news media about the death of Michael Jackson. Much has been made of his influence on popular culture and the music industry.

His death and the recent deaths of other high profile entertainers, athletes and historic people has got me thinking about just what makes a person great.  There are perhaps many ways to define greatness, but I could not help but remember a kind of definition of greatness that I heard some years ago in a speech given by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.  Here is what he said:

   "Everybody can be great, because anybody can serve. Anybody can do it.

   You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make

   your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace and

   a soul generated by love"

Now, there are very few people who will have as big a funeral with as much coverage as did Michael Jackson. Few people will ever be remembered for their life's work around the world as he has been. Yet, I wonder if you looked around your own life, at the members of your family, or among your friends, neighbors, fellow workers or even among some of the people you know here at church, would you not find quite a few people who are, by Dr. Martin Luther King's definition, truly great people?

I always find it quite remarkable the number of people who have spent much of their life reaching out and serving other people.  There are so many people right around us who are truly heroes, yet they go unnoticed by much of the world. We would never see their "life's work" celebrated in lavish ceremonies and broadcasted all over the world.

No, their contributions to our world are not often noticed or even appreciated, but they are well known to God. In fact, Jesus even spoke about these kinds of "great" people. (And you, yourself may well be among them)  He called them the "leaven of God's Kingdom".  Their quiet goodness, their generous hearts and loving spirit is what  rises up to make our world such a beautiful place.

Why not take some time this week to consider the number of truly great people that you know? If you take the time to look for them, you will surely see that even though most of us will never achieve the fame of a Michael Jackson, we are however, surrounded by some truly great people.