Saint Athanasius Lutheran Church

Today, I reflected on the disciples’ argument about who was the greatest, even after Jesus had given them His Supper. Jesus reminded them—and us—that greatness in His kingdom is not about status, but service. That truth comes alive in the story of St. Bartholomew, also known as Nathanael, whose very name means “gift of God.” Though not among the most famous apostles, he shows us that our worth doesn’t come from ranking higher than others, but from God’s grace. Jesus enters our ruts of sin, dies in them, and raises us to new life in baptism. Like Bartholomew, we are called not to measure ourselves by the world’s standards, but to live as God’s children—His precious gifts, redeemed and lifted up by Christ.