We live in a star-struck, celebrity-centric society. We love
to hear about the comings and goings, fumblings and failings of the rich,
famous and powerful. Whether top athletes, movie and TV stars, or public
figures, we seem to hunger for news about what their lives are like. Who is
Taylor Swift hanging out with these days? What craziness are Tom Cruise and
Charlie Sheen up to? What about Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, or the latest
famous-for-being-famous celeb?
Even the British royal family gets into the act. Apparently
we all want to know what they’re wearing or, more recently, what they’re not wearing. (Hey, even the royals must understand
the virtues of an even, all-around tan.)
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| Trophies tarnish, but personal influence lasts forever. |
But is being a bonafide member of the “Who’s Who” set all
that important? Think about this: What are the most prestigious awards or
honors a person could receive: A Nobel Prize? Academy Award? An Emmy or a Grammy?
Win a Super Bowl?
List the last 10 winners of the Nobel Prize – in any
category. Name the last 10 Academy Awards for best picture, best actor or
actress. Who won the Emmy for best comedy in 2007? Or won the Grammy for best
album in 1998? Who won the Super Bowl in 2003?
A meditation I read recently by Max Lucado brought this to
mind. As he points out, after people receive acclaim for being the best in
their respective fields, “the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are
forgotten.”
If recognition and media attention are as important as we
tend to think, why don’t we have these accomplishments etched in our memory banks?
Contrast these forgotten, fading stars with people we will
never forget, Lucado suggests: Ten people who taught you something worthwhile.
Or five friends who helped you during a difficult time.
You can identify these people right away, can’t you? Because
they made a real impact on your life. They spent time with you, invested in
you, cared for you. For you, they were difference makers.
That’s how Jesus transformed everyone around Him – He spent
time with them and they observed His life. In the case of His closest
disciples, it was three years, 24/7.
The apostle Paul understood the importance of personal engagement.
“We loved you so much that we were
delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because
you had become so dear to us” (1 Thessalonians 2:8). This was no
hit-and-run, whack them over the head with the Bible event, but an ongoing process
of genuine care, compassion and concern.
