It’s easy and we all do it. We want to shine, to be the center of attention and we want people to take note of who we are. But, how does this line up with our deepest and most true purpose?
A Stardom Mentality:
A few months ago while I was at dinner with some of my closest friends, we went around the table answering the following, “Would you choose fame or money?”
My gut answer: FAME.
I’ve been painting since I was 8 years old. I’ve been recognized and applauded by family and friends since I was a little kid. I vividly remember growing up reading book after book and thinking, “one day my name will be in those books.” On my 19th birthday, I celebrated with my family by going to the MET museum in New York. I thought, “One day my paintings will be on display here.” So yes, I like recognition, much of my life has revolved around it. I like being excellent, and for some reason, I expect a reward for that excellence in this case recognition, fame, my own stardom.
I currently live in Nashville, TN. which is a beautiful city filled with creative minds that work across countless industries. That, paired with the age of information we currently live in, every artist, musician, entrepreneur, and child has the capability of sharing their work instantly (thank you cell phone companies). Naturally, most artists want to share their work. We applaud those who dress well, travel the world, who are creating the newest technologies and we follow each of their lives day in and out through social media, wishing we could aspire to live a life like the one they present.
We were made by a God with a genius imagination who actually made those ideas into a reality. In turn, He gives us the option to enter into relationship with Him, His greatness, which calls us to worship Him. I’ve been to beautiful waterfalls and mountains, and my response is awe. My heart can’t help but acknowledge a greater being and worship Him. Therefore, if I was made in the image of the creator and He seeks recognition, I will also naturally seek that recognition because of the beauty I create.
A Service Mindset:
OK, so I am made to imitate the image of a God who seeks recognition because of His greatness. Great, that’s just one side of the picture. Then he sent His son, Jesus, to live out a human life that I could follow as a map so I could become more like Him.
Jesus could have had immediate stardom, yet he was born to a carpenter and a teenage girl. He traveled with people who weren’t the ones on the top of the socio-economic scale. His best friends were fishermen, not the scholars or politicians. He talked to the lowly: the lepers, the widows, the children, someone like me. He was not concerned with being recognized for the sake of fame. He wanted to be known by few, truly known, so that they could then spread the good news to the world. He lived a life of servant leadership, where He placed others first.
As we set around the table, I was hit with a major reality check and I had to begin asking how my perspective should change.
We were created to make amazing things with excellence. We want recognition, however, I don’t believe that should be our motivation. We were created to lead a lives of servant leadership, where we treat others the way we want to be treated. When we work with clients, we do our best to reach the vision they have and to create solutions that will move them forward.
If recognition and fame are results for a job well done, I think that’s alright. What has to change is our daily perspective that puts us in a place of humility. We have to remind ourselves that every day we get to serve someone new! Every time we create, we have the ability to show love in a new way, it’s not easy, but it is awesome!
As believers, we want our actions and words to reflect the character of Jesus.
Every day we have the choice to either choose selfish desires of stardom in a selfie world or we can choose to be unknown, love, serve and let Jesus be known.
This post is by our very own Helga Sierra, in just a few short weeks we’re sending her out to long-term missions! More to come shortly as we share more of her story here and how you can join in.
