Being Known Instead Of Being Famous
There was a time where to be famous meant something. We now live in a world and in a time where anyone can be famous and can be famous for just about anything from legitimately doing something that benefits society and the greater good to falling down a flight of stairs. As odd as that sounds, there really isn’t a gap between the two in most peoples minds.
There are some obvious great things that come with this digital age of fame. Guys like me no longer have to have ideas green lighted by publishers or executives. Content in the form of writing, videos, and the like can be easily put out in front of audiences at a rate and ease like never before. Of course, there’s the other side of that coin. The gatekeepers are fewer and that thirteen year old ranting about politics is now lumped into the same category as a political pundit of twenty years. The problem, in my opinion, is that we can now have fame without virtue, fame without character, and fame without responsibility.
If you know me or have read me before, you probably know that the things that I look to do like coaching, mentoring, and developing leadership aren’t new to me. For more than a decade now I’ve done those things. For a while it was under the umbrella of an organization I started called Ordinary Discipleship Training. After stepping back from that for a season I felt called to step back into that world only this time a little differently.
It’s odd for me to “market” myself. The fact that my “name, image, and likeness” (to use NCAA’s terminology) are on my material and website is still odd to me. It’s something I wrestled through for a while. Some of that decision came from studying marketing and branding strategies. Some came from discussions with those close to me. Much of it came as God brought me back to Paul’s letter to the Corinthians.
1 Corinthians 11:1 says, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” (NIV)
Let me pause for a moment and talk about media. This could be social media, news outlets, television, or print. The etymology of the word media is of a late latin decent and means middle or layer. Think about that. The word media is one that defines a division or separation.
As easy it may seem to be famous these days, much of it means a degree of separation from those you’re influencing. To always present the “best” you as possible even that means taking fifteen selfies to pick the best one or eight takes on that video to make it just right. Please understand, I want to present the best of me as well but I believe that 1 Corinthians 11 dismantles much of that.
At face value it may not seem that way but making a statement like that, as a Christ follower, will put a spotlight on your life. You are putting yourself out there as a leader and saying watch what I’m doing, how I’m living as I do life and see if it reflects Christ or reflect myself. To be known means to do life with people in a real and oftentimes raw way. To live out the good and the ugly in the context of meaningful community. I have a tendency to drift towards seeking the approval of people, especially people in authority, when I’m not living at my healthiest so I have to be careful of putting on my veneer or my mask trying to be famous (liked) instead of known. Those that know me, those that I allow to know me, can tell when I’m in that place and can speak into me.
Being famous instead of known undermines leadership. It may seem like that influencer is leading people well but truly it’s just their persona or the character they’ve created pointing to ideals that may or may not be real. As I “market” myself or promote what I’m doing. I’m asking those I influence over to follow my example as I follow the example of Christ. That who I’m marketing is the real me, no masks, no veneer. I don’t want to promote beer commercial but let’s look to be famous among friends.
What are you looking for? Fame, which is fleeting, or to be known? To do real life in a real community in a real way or to create separation between you and others? Let us look to be known instead of famous.
Photo by Alicia Steels on Unsplash