FAME'S SEDUCTION

1 Chronicles 24:1-26:11; Romans 4:1-12; Psalm 13:1-6; Proverbs 19:15-16

“All tasks were assigned to the various groups by means of sacred lots so that no preference would be shown, for there were many qualified officials serving God in the sanctuary from among the descendants of both Eleazar and Ithamar.”

“Was it because of his good deeds that God accepted him? If so, he would have something to boast about. But from God’s point of view, Abraham had no basis at all for pride. For the Scriptures tell us, ‘Abraham believed God, so God declared him to be righteous.’ …People are declared righteous because of their faith, not because of their work.”

“Turn and answer me, O Lord my God! Restore the light to my eyes.”

Today, nothing happened. I am at a mountain in New Hampshire with my two adult boys enjoying our time together and doing some snow skiing. I haven’t seen a news report. I have no idea how the market did, how our troops are faring in the Middle East or whether or not there was any major medical breakthrough. There were no major tragedies in our family, and no one gave birth. There was weather, of course, and the sun did rise and set. We still had air to breathe, a safe and warm place to sleep, and each other. Our bellies are full, too full. All in all, it was an uneventful day, and a real blessing not to be in charge of anything.

Now, certainly, things did happen. The fact that I may not know of them does not somehow magically wink them out of existence. That much is obvious. Here’s the thing, though, I think. They did happen without me. My ideas were not required or requested. The world got along just fine, and I could not be happier to have been completely insignificant. Nobody asked for my thoughts, and I had no responsibility for getting a single thing done. I guess that, after all, the Holy Spirit does not need my input to be sure the world still spins on its axis or that water runs downhill. Nor does Christ require my opinion on what is right and wrong with the world or how the wicked should be punished (or even who the wicked are). There’s just no reason for me to feel like I need to function as king of the universe or center of the world, and I was not threatened one bit by the idea that, when I return, no one will know or care, or remember me.

Sometimes I wonder if Christians have not over emphasized the gospel of personal significance. I know, I know, Jesus loves each one of us as if we are the only ones to love. We have free will for a reason. Individuality is what gives people personality and interest. Without our uniquely packaged gifts and talents, the Body of Christ would be less than the Lord intends. But that’s all a pretty far cry from saying any of us is indispensible, and when we get to feeling like the world cannot get along without us, we do some pretty silly things. We actually listen to movie stars tell us what is wrong with the country, and what our economic and political policies ought to be. We give credibility to the opinions of those who are not educated or rational enough to actually have any that matter. We begin to believe that our own thoughts and ideas are just as valid and just as important as anyone else’s, and we work to bring the very powers of Hell upon anyone who would dare to think otherwise. No wonder we are so confused and misguided. With all the shouting and all the overload, it should be expected that we are having a harder, not easier, time finding our way these days. Anyone willing to speak loud enough, long enough and fervently enough is virtually certain to command some media attention. However, it does not follow that they deserve it, or that they actually have any thoughts worth listening to.

Perhaps this is just the clarity (or personal pomposity) born of a few days’ vacation, but it seems to me that the world has two major problems. Those who actually have something important and significant to say are not speaking often or loudly enough, and when they do say something, we don’t listen. We are being seduced by the controversial, by the outrageous and by the new, usually without too much regard of for the underlying content. (I am tempted to ask how else it could be that certain  talk show hosts and so-called “commentators” have any credibility at all, but I will leave the political discussion to others more qualified to have opinions in those arenas.) What remains clear, though, is that people are more focused and determined than ever to make sure they get their “fifteen minutes of fame,” deserved or not, and they are more willing to do whatever it takes to claim them, even if it means making stuff up, misrepresenting the facts or even outright lying. Our insatiable drive for personal importance belies a much deeper spiritual emptiness and ignorance.

In fact, we do not need or require the acknowledgement of men to have eternal significance, and our puny efforts to create for ourselves what we have already been freely given must be at least a little embarrassing when viewed from the eternal perspective. It has been known virtually since the dawn of time that we cannot save ourselves no matter what we do, and it is fundamentally futile to try. This does not mean we are to be passive and inactive. Quite the contrary! It simply means that, when we decide to try to have meaningful conversations about the course and impact of life, we need to be a whole lot more intentional about inviting the Author of life into the conversation.

Our efforts mean little. But neither does God play favorites based on performance, so we can stop trying so hard to look important. No one is any more or less intrinsically qualified to be a vessel of grace and love, or to be a temple for the Holy Spirit. Nothing we do is going to change how He feels about us, but it can impact what we allow Him to do for us. We all need to hear that more clearly and respond to it more definitively and quit listening so much to all the garbage.