Everyone wants to become popular nowadays, yet the quest for popularity is a killer of humility. It is a sign of spiritual immaturity on that account. We are saying that humility is a mark of mature or spiritual believers as opposed to carnal or “unspiritual” believers that apostle Paul describes as “mere men” (see 1 Corinthians 3:1).
The quest for popularity invites Satan to step into the life of the one after it and spoils or compromises any possibility of friendship with God -the bible says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6)”. It is nurtured by self-pride (flesh) and shuts the door of eternity to anyone who desires it (popularity).
The quest for popularity is incompatible with the essence of Christianity. Consider John 13:14-15, for example, “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another feet, I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you…”
Yes, washing someone else’s feet was a task reserved for servants/slaves and the most unpopular thing to do.
Let me quickly remark that John 13:14-15 describes the Lord Jesus Christ enacting Matthew 20:28: “…the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve,…” and contextualizing the Cross of Calvary. It means that the Son of Man served not to benefit himself. He did not die on the Cross in order to become popular but rather to save many; there was nothing in it for him, on the contrary. He became popular for doing what no one else claiming to be of his rank (God) would do: He died or denied himself for the sake of others (sinners). Here we have the revelation of the purpose for which we (human beings) are on earth, namely, not to be served but to serve others. Here we have the key to making the world a better place to live in for everyone. Needless to say, it is in serving others that we serve God as the one who sent us on earth for that very purpose.
It is interesting to note that Matthew 20:28 is part of Jesus’ reply to a request that a seemingly caring mother put to him, on her knees: “Grant that one of these two sons of mine sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.” (Matthew 20:21). The mother was on the quest for popularity on behalf of her two sons. We understand that nothing could be more incompatible with the essence of Christianity than the quest for popularity.
Someone in quest for popularity wants to be the star of the show; she wants to steal the show for herself by becoming the center of attention. Such a person is an easy target of Satan, the father of pride and falls on that account.
Remember apostle Paul, Galatians 2:20a, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.”
May the Lord protect us from the quest for popularity and help us desire to decrease so that the life of Jesus Christ will increase in us.
