Goodness and Greatness – Sunday, April 03, 1960
In the magnifying of so much that is mediocre, some words are often overworked—like great and greatness, —for example—and associated synonyms Yet the true quality of greatness is often found in unpublicized places, in simple, modest settings, in the heroic lives of humble men and women—the greatness of goodness and of sincere service. “Goodness is richer than greatness,” said Edwin Hubbel Chapin. “It lifts us nearer to God . . .. It is . . . manifested according to our abilities, within our sphere, . . . and every day I bless God that the great necessary work of the world is so faithfully carried on by humble men in narrow spaces and by faithful women in narrow circles, . . . performing works of simple goodness . . . .”1
Everywhere sincere and unassuming people are performing sincere and essential service, day by day, year by year, doing their share, carrying their sorrows, caring for their own, helping others, doing much that is greatly good. “Not a day passes over the earth, but men and women of no note do great deeds, speak great words, and suffer noble sorrows”—said another source—of these obscure heroes. . .. the greater part will never be known till that hour when many that were great shall be small and the small great.”2 There is greatness in service where there is sickness, often under disheartening circumstances.
There is greatness in enduring disappointments, greatness in meeting obligations; greatness in work earnestly and honestly done. There is greatness in teaching, greatness in trying, greatness in trusting, greatness in patient waiting. There is greatness in understanding, greatness in forgiving, greatness in repenting. There is greatness—a very great kind of greatness—in self-control, in tempering appetite, in tempering temper. There is greatness in cleanliness of life, in keeping faith, in keeping the commandments. “Greatness . . . [is] not so much a certain size as a certain quality in human lives . . ..”3 And what is not good, is not great, no matter how glamorous or desirable it sometimes seems.
As Samuel Johnson said it. “Nothing can be truly great which is not right.”4 Thank God for heroic greatness in humble lives, in humble hearts and homes, greatness in devotion, in faithfulness, in being true to trust, in the simple doing of duty—a kind of greatness which the Lord God will not forget.
1Edwin Hubbel Chapin, Eulogy of Horace Greeley
2Charles Reade
3Philips A. Brooks, Sermons: Purpose and Use of Comfort
4Samuel Johnson
“The Spoken Word,” heard over Radio Station KSL and the CBS Radio Network, from the Tabernacle, Temple Square, Salt Lake City, Sunday, April 3, 1960, 11:30 a.m., to 12:00 noon, Eastern Time. Copyright 1960
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April 03, 1960
Broadcast Number 1,598