“I want to be popular”

We live in a culture that is obsessed with self.

Just look at the magazine covers as you stand in a grocery line.

Scan through your instagram or facebook feed.

Watch an episode of a reality tv show.

And you’ll hear what everyone is trying to say.

Maybe not verbally, but  still very clearly.

“It’s all about me”.

So look at me.

Validate me.

Pay attention to me.

To what I eat.

To what I wear.

To what I do.

To what I have to say.

Online social media especially seems to have went from sharing life with others to being a tool used for validation, approval, and attention from others.

It’s like high school all over again.

But the online adult version.

We all want to be popular.

To be known for something.

To be ranked high on the social status ladder.

People will spend their lives trying to get into a spotlight.

Although we have long figured out that the sun doesn’t revolve around the earth we still have a hard time figuring out that the world doesn’t revolve around us.

That at the end of the day we are not the most important person in this world and we will never be.

The desire for greatness, for popularity, for status isn’t something just for those who aren’t “spiritual”, who are carnal-minded, and self-seeking.

Quite the opposite actually.

Just take a look at Luke 9:46-49 and Luke 22:24-30.

Not only once, but multiple times the disciples argue about who was and would be the greatest among them.

In Mark 10:35-45 to the dismay of the other disciples James and John even have the boldness to go up to Jesus and ask Him to allow them to sit on His left and right side of His throne.

These were not just ordinary men.

They were men who were closest to Jesus.

Men that were under the leadership of the most spiritual teacher of their time.

But just like anyone else they still had a lot to learn from Jesus because they were as selfish as anyone else.

Maybe they were not like the Pharisees standing in the courts showing off their righteousness and spirituality. But they were still selfish alright.

And what Jesus told them must have shocked them, because it went against everything that made sense to them.

Jesus told them to be greatest of all, they had to humble themselves and become the least.

That instead of needing to be served by others they themselves were the ones that were to serve others.

Instead of putting themselves first, they were supposed to put others first (Philippians 2:3)

In a world where everything was telling them to make it about themselves Jesus was telling them the exact opposite.

He was telling them that they needed to turn that spotlight away from themselves and turn it toward others and toward Him.

And who but Jesus gave us the greatest example of all to follow?

The King of Kings humbled Himself enough to leave the glories of heaven to live in a dark world that wouldn’t accept Him.

That wouldn’t see Him for who He truly was.

Who instead of embracing Him, turned away from Him.

Instead of believing Him, spoke against Him.

Jesus, God’s own son didn’t think it was too difficult to lower Himself before others and yet here we are, mere human beings, having a hard time turning that spotlight away from ourselves and fighting our selfish desires to be “important” in the eyes of the world.

Jesus didn’t come looking for a spotlight or a stage.

He didn’t run around asking people to follow Him and validate who He was.

In fact He warned people about the hardships they would face if they chose to give their lives to follow Him (Luke 9:57-62).

That’s no technique to use if you want people to like you.

But obviously pleasing people and getting their approval was not the #1 thing on His list.

And it should not be on ours.

If you truly want to be great in this life then serve the One who is the greatest wholeheartedly.

If you want to be in the spotlight then share the light of Christ within you to others and point them toward Him.

If you want to be popular then go and spread the gospel so that people don’t know your name but so they will know His.

Instead of seeking recognition for yourself seek for Christ’s love, His mercy, His goodness to be recognized in the world around you through your life.

Instead of trying to be #1 how about humble yourself to serve others in a way that will show them who is #1 in your life, and maybe it’ll help them make Him #1 in their life as well.

Let’s spend less time thinking, worrying, caring about how we rate in the eyes of others and focus on becoming great for Christ.

Let’s learn from the greatest man of all how to make something of ourselves in this world.

How to become the best servants.

One’s who will desire His attention more than the attention of others.

Who look to serve others more than to be served by them.

Who will seek to glorify Christ more through our life and our actions than to glorify ourselves.

My challenge to you today is to really think about who you are promoting in your life.

You or Jesus?

Is He in the spotlight or are you?

Are you looking for ways to serve others or do you always just want to be served?

Jesus didn’t live this life to be popular and in the spotlight although He deserved it.

He came to serve instead.

Rather than making it all about Himself, He made it about others.

The questions is: will we do the same?

 Stay humble and be great with Jesus. Be blessed! -Anna… ♥

“Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” – Mark 10 44-45