Every Friday night a group of us get together to share what’s going on in our lives, read the Bible, and pray. We’re a diverse bunch, with a mathematician, a musician, a lawyer, a public speaker, and even an amateur political activist in the ranks.
Recently we read the Tower of Babel account and were struck by the builders’ motivation. The tower was proposed, we’re told, because these men and women sought to become “famous.” By building this giant, stepped ziggurat, the proud creators would dominate the world and “make a name” for themselves (Genesis 11:4 NIV).
Such boastful intentions don’t sit well with God, and the act spelled trouble for future Earth. If humans could do this, their rebellion would only escalate. God confused their languages and brought their vain attempt at personal glory to an end.
Our generation walks perilously close to Babel-like fame seeking. A recent Pew poll found fame to be the second-highest desire for 18-to-25-year-olds (after riches). Thanks to blogs, YouTube, and Facebook, we have plenty of tools to tell the world who we are.
God has a bigger world for us than the trivial pursuit of our own fame building. It’s a world (kingdom) that we enjoy when His name is our consuming passion (Deuteronomy 6:5).
My Friday-night group wrestled with this truth for some time. How could our musician resist the temptation to “make a name” for herself? Or the mathematician, when getting his name on research papers is key to his professional success?
We realized that two things help us to succeed in Jesus: worship and service. When our lives and careers are given as an offering to God, we’ll avoid the temptation of building personal altars to the sky.
More:
The sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God (Romans 8:7-8).
Next:
How consumed are you with “making a name” for yourself? How will you give your life and work to God and others today?
mstigall on July 7, 2009 at 6:22 am
This remindsme of the Ephesians 2:1-7 passage.
Paul shows us through the Word of God what a life should look like when we are living in harmony with our Father.
This can be very challenging in a world that places so much emphasis on living to have what you want with little or no thought of the world around you.
Thank you for sharing and reminding us all that; “God has a bigger world for us than the trivial pursuit of our own fame building.”
God Bless
mstigall on July 7, 2009 at 6:24 am
OOOPS I meant to reference the Philippians 2:1-7, however the Ephesians passgae is very powerful as well.
randyk on July 7, 2009 at 8:42 am
Arriving at midlife without out a book published and having no major ministry at my fingertips was a bit of a hard pill to swallow since, at least in the back of my mind, I had associated such achievements as being successful. I have learned, however, that making a difference in the lives that God has give me the opportunity to impact is success. I have messed up many times, but it is God’s grace that enables me to continue with my eyes on Him, not myself. It is, after all, all about Him, not me.
Thanks for reminding me of the need to serve Him alone in the Kingdom and leave any recognition or praise to Him alone.
Amenkwashie on July 7, 2009 at 8:59 am
God is not against unity as some think by looking at this passage. God is against unity with the goal to disobey. God loves us to be unity in obeying and not disobeying Him.
Another thought that came to mind after reading this passage is whether I am in a relationship with someone which is causing me or us to be disobedient to God.
fabiana on July 7, 2009 at 9:17 am
Babel-like fame seeking, make a name, professional success can happen. Only IF we do exactly as The LORD taught us in the Book of Proverbs 16:3 ‘Commit to the LORD whatever you do and your plans will succeed’. Then all we do cause GOD blessed us is to bring Honor and Glory to HIS Name. This is the ‘make a name’ we all must look for. Always.
fabiana on July 7, 2009 at 10:56 pm
Just wanting to add 2 Corinthians 3:5 ‘Not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency IS from GOD’. The only way we have to succeed.
msroby on July 8, 2009 at 2:07 pm
We can know that God makes no mistakes. I would say that this includes such things that can look like we make a name for ourselves, but first how did we get it? God places people, things, places & situations in our lives on a daily basis and then tells us to do excellent “in His name & in the way His Word tells us to do.” If we gain fame, do not let it lead us to sin. If we do excellent and SHOW others that living a life following God can lead to not only glory to God, it shows that by living this life according to God can lead to good things as well. It’s not a sin to gain, it’s a sin to gain so that we can further sin.
Mary gave birth to Jesus, but she did not go out to the world and say; Hey, I gave birth to Jesus so I am more than you are. No, she was a mother who belived in her son as a human and a God. She did not surround herself with being a famous person. We are all equal to Mary for what we accomplish in the grace of God, not that are works are the same.
See yourself and you miss God. See God and know who you are.
We need people in high places that can do their job with putting God first and formost, but they need to get there without forgetting what is most important.
Move forward in your life as it comes to you. Accept the gifts of God rather it be a promotion, a book, or something that may give you what humans call fame, but never forget who you really are to God and you should be pleasing to God.
Many of the stories told in the Bible have people owning much, but putting God first. It is to SHOW you that there will be those with much and that they too must still follow God and not let such things on earth be the reason that they live for, but that what they live for is following God, for God, through God, and live the life that has been placed before you.
Just know that you are not the one that has succeeded in your life, but that Jesus has succeeded through you in your life. Never take your eyes off Jesus no matter how famous people want to make you. I once did a deed that got me recognized in my own home town. Strangers would walk up to me and say that they saw me on TV and believe or not wanted an autograph. I am not much into understanding the thing about autographs but I did sign their notebook. I signed it, Only because I follow God did this happen and then signed my name then wrote under it, A Child of Gods. I wanted no credit for it. I wanted a simple life and even an un-noticed life, but for a time and still once in awhile, people still come up to me. I have this “fame” so that I can pass on the Word of God and other than that, I have no use for “fame.”
I did not get as famous as Mary, but I did the same thing that she did. I gave credit where the credit was due and left it at that. To stay humbled is better than to become famous. The price of misusing fame is a price to high to pay.
You can do anything as long as you do it with God as your leader. You can become anything as long as you do it with God as your leader. You can say anything as long as God leads you to say it.
If you are worried about if you are doing the right thing, then you probably are not, you should be praying that God leads you to doing the right thing instead.
Being Christlike is the life to live in a world we don’t live in. We are Kings and Queens and Servants too. Do whatever it is that God tells you to and go as far as He tells you to, when He tells you to.
Have a God given day to you all.