The GOAT

 

Everybody wants to be the GOAT – the Greatest Of All Time. People beam with delight and strut with pride on being named or referred to as the GOAT.

In Jesus’ day, there were two brothers, disciples James and John, who wanted to be in positions of greatness and said to Jesus,

“Let us share the great honor you will have as king. Let one of us sit at your right side and the other at your left.” – Mark 10:37 (ERV)

Jesus responded in verse 38,

“You don’t understand what you are asking. Can you drink from the cup that I must drink from? Can you be baptized with the same baptism that I must go through?”

Sometimes we ask to be elevated but we don’t understand what we are asking for, we don’t understand what it takes to hold such a position.

When my brother and I were young children, he told me something I have never forgotten. He said to me, “Never wish for what other people have because you do not know what they had to go through to get it.” Those were wise words out of the mouth of a pre-teen boy.

These sons of Zebedee hadn’t a clue of what Jesus would have to go through. They did not understand the price Jesus would have to pay.

Recently I’ve listened to certain celebrities speaking about the things they were forced to endure for fame, to be labelled the GOAT. Some have quit the business because being the greatest wasn’t worth it – the price was too great.

In their ignorance, James and John were undaunted, responding to Jesus’ questions with a resounding, “Yes, we can!” (v 39 ERV).

At another time, just after Jesus shared the last supper with His disciples, the question of greatness again showed its head.

Within minutes they were bickering over who of them would end up the greatest – Luke 22:24 (MSG)

Everybody wants to be great and being great at what you do isn’t a bad thing, but when it is saturated in pride is when there’s a problem.

In both instances, that saturation was very evident to Jesus, so He had to bring His disciples down many notches.

To James and John, Jesus said, Whoever wants to be great must become a servant. (Mark 10:43 MSG) and to the larger group, the greatest one among you must be like the youngest, and the leader must be like the servant. (Luke 22:26 GNT).

Pride must never be left to bloom; it must always be nipped in the bud. James 4:6, quoting Proverbs 3:34 says,

As the scripture says, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (GNT)

Too many of us yearn to be the GOAT; it’s just as prevalent in the church as it is outside the church. Everybody’s vying for a label of one kind or another. Mind you, nothing is wrong with having aspirations, but humility must play a part.

Jesus said to the disciples,

Who is greater, the one who sits down to eat or the one who serves? The one who sits down, of course. But I am among you as one who serves. – Luke 22:27 (GNT)

Jesus also told them that the leader must be like the servant (v 26).

For all those who like to be known as the GOAT, do you know what the goat symbolizes in Scripture?

The goat is symbolic of the nature of sin. Leviticus 16:7-10 describes a ritual which was performed on the Day of Atonement where two goats had sin “imparted” to them to atone for the sins of the people.

The goat also symbolized a demon, and the goat was symbolic of the Greek general and emperor, Alexander the Great and his empire.

The goat could represent one who was ready to fight against God and Jesus said that on Judgment Day, the goats will be separated from the sheep, that is the unrighteous from the righteous.

Then he will turn to the ‘goats,’ the ones on his left, and say, ‘Get out, worthless goats! You’re good for nothing but the fires of hell. – Matthew 25:41 (MSG)

Still want to be the GOAT?

Beloved, Jesus Christ said,

The thief comes only in order to steal, kill, and destroy. I have come in order that you might have life—life in all its fullness. (John 10:10 GNT)

The goat, as sin, steals, kills and destroys you spiritually, while life in all its fullness is to be found, not on the basis of status, but by humility, discipleship, service and in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “The GOAT” © 2026 October 17, 2026