Now opinions vary on what it means to be great and on how to achieve that greatness but, as is the case more times than not, we can find our answers in the scriptures.

First let’s look at the scriptures as a whole to get a workable definition. Surely we could say that a man who has been approved by God would be a great man. So, a blessed man is truly a great man. The bible teaches over and over that approval by God is the key to greatness. Look at those whom God has blessed men like Abraham whose seed became a great nation, David who became a great king, and on and on.

Now, how do we become blessed or obtain God’s stamp of approval as it were? Well, Psalm 112:1 says "blessed is the man that fears the Lord". In fact the whole chapter tells us how to be blessed. And what it means to be blessed. So let’s look at the qualities, or qualifications, and blessings of greatness.

As we read keep in mind that this is a Hebrew poem. In fact it is an acrostic poem, meaning the lines begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. We cannot see its beauty as a Jew reading the Hebrew sees it but we can still benefit from its wisdom.

Read Psalm 112:1-10

The 1st quality of a blessed man is that he will fear the Lord. This does not mean cower in fear but a respectful reverence. It does mean we should have a reverent attitude regarding His position in and influence over your life. In other words, know who’s in charge. This is the same way I fear my wife!

True greatness comes not by man's acclaim,
Nor is it attained by wealth or fame;
The fear of the Lord is where it starts,
When we obey God and give Him our hearts. —Fitzhugh

• Fear – because we have to
• Reward – because we get something out of it
• Love – simply because you love Christ and your fellow man and want to

Psalm 37:4 says to delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.

And now we also find the 1st blessing that a blessed man receives. His family will be blessed, not him but his family, his seed in future generations. A blessing I receive may be the result of something my Papa or my Pop did. What I do may one day be a blessing for Jordan or Jordan’s children. We just don’t know how far those blessings may travel down our family line. Perhaps like Abraham or Jesse or David there will be many generations before the blessing but just as those families were blessed for the actions of those men so too will our families be blessed if we seek God’s approval before the approval of men.

Matthew Henry wrote, "Wealth and riches shall be in the upright man’s house, not in his heart (for he is none of those in whom the love of money reigns), perhaps not so much in his hand (for he only begins to raise the estate), but in his house; his family shall grow rich when he is gone."

Also in this verse we see another quality. The 4th quality is righteousness. Great men are to be just and kind in all their dealings. Righteousness is not hard to come by; Jesus says in Matthew 5:6 that we can have it if we thirst for it. It all begins with a desire.

This righteousness is not just a quality but also a blessing. It is the 3rd blessing, the enduring righteousness. Paul speaks of the crown of righteousness in 2 Timothy 4:8. It is not physical rewards but rewards in heaven. Rewards that will not get tarnished.

The 6th quality of greatness is being compassionate. Notice that we are not just a little compassionate but full of compassion This type of person wouldn’t dream of doing anything wrong but only thinks of all the good he can do to every man because of compassion and kindness. Notice these last two are shown to be attribute of God in the psalm before this one – Psalm 111:4.

The 4th blessing is that we can have a light in the darkness. This is the eternal flame of hope found in pursuing Christ Jesus because Jesus is the light of this world. And, in that light is comfort. The 1599 Geneva Study Bible adds to this stating “The faithful in all their adversities know that all will go well with them for God will be merciful and just.” In his commentary, Chuck Smith penned “We're living in days of evil tidings, but the man who trusts the Lord will not fear the day of evil. The psalmist is saying, ‘Come what may, the Lord is with me.’”

Click here to continue