We do not choose the time given to us, only what we do with what is given. And this makes the difference between mediocre and great souls, between those who live for a noble purpose beyond themselves and those who live simply for their own comfort and self-interest. We were not made for smallness, but called to a magnanimous life.
To be sure, those who waste their lives in trivial pursuits do not make honorable heroes that others will admire. But neither is the man great who is fueled primarily by his own pride and arrogance. While he might do many great things, each of which can be respected in its own right, he himself would not be considered a great soul.
Greatness of soul belongs to those few who are willing to bear the necessary burdens required of them to bring more goodness and life to others.
He shoulders the weight of his responsibility without complaint or fanfare. It’s not a burden he looks for, but one he cannot shrink back from either. He’s not trying to make a name for himself; he’s simply being obedient to God’s call for his life and the work that is his to do.
He might be a public figure who thousands remember long after his death. But such greatness also belongs to the man who quietly serves his wife, family, and community faithfully – advancing God’s kingdom through his settled strength and practice of love, even when there’s no applause.
Magnanimous men are the salt of the earth – persevering and enhancing the world around them, while also destroying evil wherever it seeks to take root within the realm of their influence. They are great souls because they do not live for themselves but seek to make an impact for good in the lives of others.
In the end, become magnanimous by rising to the occasion in this time and place God has given to you. You are here for such a time as this.
