When a showbiz icon or high public official is seen in public, people flock to them like crazy to have their selfie. They love identifying with power or popularity. Nope, not just love--they crave for it. Then they post the selfie on FB. Tacitly, it says, "Look, I'm big-time now!" Yup, it's a craving to be seen as "big-time." [Image above from Jan Strecha, Unsplash].
Selfie with big-times creates an impression of intimacy or some special kind of relationship with them. People feel connected to the power or popularity and that's supposed to add to their personal credentials or profile. Sometimes it becomes a dire need because these folks crave for recognition and power. They need to be seen in company with big-time people.
Power or popularity connections mean power and popularity for you. You're one level higher than those who don't have that privileged connection. So you need to brag about it to make the unprivileged shrink in envy. It's some kind of achievement that lifts you on a pedestal. Stupid, isn't it?
And meaningless.
Well, if you're not a nonjoiner (a non nonjoiner), it would mean the world to be identified with big shots. But genuine nonjoiners see only emptiness in all that. So what if you're with someone powerful or popular? Doesn't mean a thing. Joiners would frantically crowd around popular guys, screaming like crazy and delirious with excitement. Nonjoiners would simply glance and leave.
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What really sucks is when church pastors and leaders do it. They love to be seen with public officials or politicians--or the police or army--sometimes with showbiz people, the rich and famous, the moneyed and powerful and anyone high up there in society. Jesus never did anything like that. The Pharisees did. And often, you see church folks pictured with the poor only when they want to promote their ministries--and then beg for donations.
They crave to be seen meeting with top politicians, doing things with them, praying for them or leading opening prayers for their ceremonies. They brag about having bible studies with cops or soldiers and post pictures of it. They love to hang around anything or anyone identified with power and authority.
When church folks crave to be identified with the rich and influential in the world, it only means they haven't really tasted genuine Kingdom power and authority yet. I can't imagine Jesus doing the same. Hanging around politicians to gain favors? Instead, it was obvious he disdained any hint of power or authority from the world. Fact, when he knew people were about to make him king, he withdrew and left them.
People also brag about traveling the world. Nothing bad about it, except when you look down on people who haven't traveled yet. Or becoming conceited with your travel achievements. Again, it sucks to see Christians aching to be in the US and going there by hook or by crook. Then they make a lot of fuss about it. One pastor told me the free medical benefits of going to Canada and how I forfeit myself and my family of them if I don't go there. "What if you get terribly ill?" he asked, worrying for me.
Excuse me, but don't you believe in God's almighty power anymore? You'd rather believe in Canada?
When you have been to God's secret chambers in his Kingdom and spent considerable deep moments there alone with Him, you lose appetite for anything the world offers--popularity, influence, travel, the like. You see only emptiness in what most people value in this world, even church people. You see that what matters only in life is to see His glory ever-increasingly.
