Into the Fire

I could list a hundred names of top celebrities—actors, singers, athletes, even Christians. The average American would recognize the names. Some of them couldn’t identify the person behind the name, but they would have heard the name.

Some of those people behind the well known names have “earned” their fame because of exhibited talent in a given arena. Others with famous names have become notorious or infamous because of how they behave in public. Money is their vehicle to make sure their names become household words.

A few of those individuals have yet to learn that their fame has become entwined in their shame. But because their addiction to “fame” has become toxic to them, they fail to notice that they are clothed in infamy.

It is painful and embarrassing to watch the demise of a human being who has coveted and secured a measure of fame but squanders it on self-indulgence and alienates all those who once clamored after him or her. Forced to view at least a portion of their failures by an unrelenting media rabid for scandal, humiliation, lies, and exploitation, we see the images of real people in full blown degradation, as if they’ve been hurled off a cliff and are in freefall, flailing and contorted as they crash to a death that seems to take far too long when they hit and bounce at the base of the precipice.

It’s no wonder we are so sharply reprimanded in the Word of God to humble ourselves. Recognition for our deeds, our writings—heck, even our own “humility”—lingers in our thoughts, enticing us, whispering to us of how much we “deserve” praise or acclaim for our diligence, perseverance, “spirituality”. No?

It’s hard for us to remember sometimes that ANYthing we do well is because it has been given to us to do by our Lord, by the Creator of all things. In the midst of success we tend to want to point to ourselves—proud of our accomplishments and eager to be noticed for them. Secretly wishing more people knew about them.

Nothing wrong with wanting, needing, desiring affirmation. Who doesn’t? But that affirmation need not always come from other people and is of the greatest value when it comes directly from our Lord. Because many times no one else will notice. God will never fail to notice.

Being famous is a challenge for Christians. The powerful perfume of being celebrated can be intoxicating and produce its own brand of drunkenness, downing the cocktails of praise and adoration while forgetting to refuse that one more drink from the poisoned well of self-made celebrity.

Being lost and famous is tragic enough, but choosing to get lost in fame by abandoning humility for the bright lights of pride and self-recognition is every bit as devastating.

Father, forgive me for any cravings of fame and recognition. Apart from you I can do nothing. Let me give all praise to you where it belongs. Thank you for all that you do. Help me to hear your voice clearly and to obey instantly. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.