The illusion of fame & recognition

Did you know that most of us only listen to a musician, watch a movie or go to a popular thing because “everyone else is doing it.” The slang term for that is FOMO – Fear Of Missing Out. Most people would say they like an actor that many people like just because they’re trying to fit in. I think it comes from our ancient days. If we didn’t fit in to the herd, we’d be cast out to fend for ourselves under dangerous weather and amongst wild animals.

I believe that many of a famous person’s fans are the result of the ‘bandwagon effect’.

Bandwagon effect – a psychological phenomenon in which people do something primarily because other people are doing it, regardless of their own beliefs, which they may ignore or override (Courtesy of investopedia.com).

So the famous person could think they have a family and clan in their followers but I think only about 40% actually enjoy their material and that 40% don’t actually know and understand the person to a deep level.

What is a 'deep level' anyway?

Let’s say that the spirit of a person is like a candle or a sunny-side up egg.

Proverbs 20:27 The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.

1 Corinthians 2:11 For who among men knows the thoughts of man except his own spirit within him?

The gold part is being known 100%, the yellow 70%, the cream 30%, the white 0%.

The closer you go into someone, because they’re a fire, the more you risk being burned. For this reason, I think many people die without ever having been known in-depth. Vulnerability is costly. Trust is costly.

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Recognition is two words put together – re and cognition. Re means again, cognition means the mental processes involved in gaining knowledge. So being recognized is basically to be known or acknowledged.

I think that this is what God values the most. To know and be known. So throughout the Bible, we hear about Him getting a bride for Himself.

Exodus 33:11 Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.

Moses wasn’t just a servant. Servants know their masters from afar and obey their commands. A servant is a person you send as a messenger to a nation. A friend is someone to start a nation with. Like Abraham.

What is the cost of a friend that knows and understands you? What could we trade for being known in the 70-100%? Is having millions in the 30% worth more?

Alexander the great wanted to be known for all ages. What is it about shallow knowing? Why is it attractive? Why is deep knowing so costly?

“Toil and risk are the price of glory, but it is a lovely thing to live with courage and die leaving an everlasting fame.” – Alexander the great

In Mark 4:19, Jesus talked about the “deceitfulness of riches” choking the Word of God in a person’s life. The Word of God goes into the gold part of our beings and that’s where our main attention should go. Riches and fame are on the outside so they shouldn’t be given so much attention but they can take the attention. This is the deceitfulness of riches and the illusion of fame.

At the end of 1 Corinthians 13, one of the most amazing chapters in the Bible, it mentions 'being known'.

1 Corinthians 13:12 Now we see but a dim reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

That whole chapter is about love. “Love is patient, love is kind…” So it’s like the reward for loving in this life is being fully seen and known.

Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God

The only reason to be made rich is to raise the human race to another dimension in God. The only reason to become famous is to do the same (and to entertain people like Messi or Spielberg do). Not becoming attached to either in the process. Being only defined by your relationship with God.

Concerning riches... on a small scale, you could give a person with nothing to eat some money to buy food. On a larger scale (with a lot more money), you could fund the production of an invention that will increase the yield of a certain crop like wheat by 30% which I think is a big percentage. That would probably decrease the price of bread. The inventor and the investor have to find themselves by the grace of God. Nikola Tesla died with no investors. How sad. What were those people buying?

Fun fact: Before steam powered trains, people used to… walk *gasp*

So riches or fame shouldn’t be valued more than depth with God. Nothing should.

1 Samuel 18:1 As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

Our primary “soul knit” should be with God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. We should love Them more than any person. Next should be a spouse (if the person is called to marriage), then family and friends. If a person doesn’t believe in God, they shouldn’t put fame and riches above their spouse, family or friends. That’s just how we were made. We need depth.

However, we shouldn't also fall into the trap of regarding riches or fame as evil. They're tools that can either destroy a person or be used for good.

God said this to Abraham perhaps because he would magnify His name among the nations.

Genesis 12:2 And I will bless you [abundantly], And make your name great (exalted, distinguished)

This is what Jesus said…

Matthew 10:32 “Therefore, the one who confesses and acknowledges Me before men [as Lord and Savior, affirming a state of oneness with Me], that one I will also confess and acknowledge before My Father who is in heaven.

Both those verses have one end goal – knowing The Father of spirits and helping others get to know Him.

John 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

Here's a link to a nice song called "Jireh" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mC-zw0zCCtg