Concert soloist Marian Anderson was once asked about the greatest moment of her life. To the surprise of many, it was not singing at the White House, or for the King and Queen of England, or even to that crowd of 75,000, which included members of the Supreme Court and members of congress. She said, the greatest moment of her life was the day she went home and told her mother, “Mama, you don’t have to take in washing anymore.” Marian was grateful she could now keep her mother from the backbreaking job of washing other people’s clothes to earn a living. To Marian, significance did not come from public applause but from humbly caring for her mother. That’s what Jesus conveyed to us when he scolded the proud Pharisees. We read this in Matthew 23: “Everything they do is for show.” “They love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues. They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi.’…But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Our greatest joy should come from serving others, not receiving applause.
Dr. Melvin E. Banks, Sr.
Dr. Melvin E. Banks, Sr. is the founder and chairman of UMI (Urban Ministries, Inc.). Under his direction, UMI has grown to be a leading publisher of Christian education resources for churches in the African American community. Read More
