Rules of Engagement – Part 2
“In
an age where celebrities are basically "idolized" by the
media, and in industries where jealousy, lust, greed, envy and
selfish-ambition seemingly influences so much of what goes on, those
that whole-heartedly take on this characteristic will be a breath of
fresh air.”
(previous blog)
Maybe you've heard the word “servant”
at different times. If you've hung around Christian circles for a while,
you've more than likely heard the word quite often. Or maybe the word “serving”, or even the
classic: servant-hearted. The reason it's talked about
though, is because Jesus talked about it a lot.
“Whoever wants to become great
among you must be your servant” (Mark 10:43) It's possible to still
read that and think... That's great. But how does that actually apply
to my life, and my industry?
Great question. Ultimately, it comes
down to who you're doing it for.
Let's use a business analogy. If a
business owner wants to sleep well at night, then s/he should make a
profit by offering products and services that meet genuine needs in
the community. If a person in that community buys the product/receives a service, a sale is made, the customer benefits and the
business owner finds what could be defined as true “success”. If
the owner is purely out for themselves, they might use a bunch of
shady advertising techniques, do whatever it takes to make sales, and
maximise profits without paying attention to the real needs of the
community. (Think Coca-Cola for a moment!)
I'm not saying you should view what you
do simply as a product. Stay with me...
The world does
need great art, and great media. Both
arenas serve many purposes in society. They
entertain/stimulate/communicate/challenge/inform/enliven..... the
list goes on. If you genuinely set out to meet those needs today....
awesome!!!!
I'm not simply saying you should
“sell-out” for the crowd either. Let me elaborate by saying that
the world needs people that are mature in their God-given, artistic
and creative “voice”. People that are truly and authentically themselves,
confident in who God made them to be.
I am saying we shouldn't take on the
same motivation that “Gangnum Style” rapper Psy initially had for
starting his career. When he was younger, he watched Freddy Mercury
of Queen singing live at Wembley Stadium. He watched how he had the
audience “in the palm of his hand”, and wanted that type of
attention for himself. And instead of singing, he
decided to learn how to rap.
Psy does seem to be a really good
hearted person. He has said that he wrote “Gangnum Style” for the people in his own country, because they were going through a tough time
economically and he wanted to make people laugh. Definitely a noble
cause! What I'm challenging though is the initial motivation (self
centered-ness), that is actually present in all of us.
The more that we contain self-centered
motives, and the more that we are in it for what we can get, the more
we will be inclined to deliver an inferior product. (Again think of
Coke.) We might achieve some level of success, but in the end we
won't be truly successful.
Those that truly value people, and seek to serve the community through their medium, will ultimately do better than those who simply want the attention, who want fame, or to be rich, and are not transformed during their journey.
A performer like Justin Timberlake can
take on servant-like characteristics. He can (and I believe he does)
perform for his audience, seeking to entertain and inspire them.
Anyone can take on that characteristic. (And by the way, I'm a fan of
JT.)
In my view, no one can be great in any
field, unless they apply the principle of servant-hood. But those who
really take this to the next level, will have had their hearts
transformed by Jesus Himself. They'll be the ones who will really
“shine” so to speak. As well as “acting out” the principle of
servant-hood, let's all be transformed, bit by bit, by Jesus. And as
we seek to follow him, may God teach us to really, truly care for all
the people we connect with. Let's be stirred to use our talents and
gifts to the best of our abilities, to make the lives of people, and
the world a better place.
All of this doesn't mean you shouldn't promote yourself. In the midst of hard work, if you know you have something worthy to offer.... a bit of “hustle” is probably necessary!
All of this doesn't mean you shouldn't promote yourself. In the midst of hard work, if you know you have something worthy to offer.... a bit of “hustle” is probably necessary!
“God promotes Himself since to not do so would be cruel. If God is God He's the best we can have. He promotes Himself for our benefit not His” - James Macpherson via Twitter
If any of this stirs you, I'd suggest reading through
Phillipians 2:3-11, and reflect on how it applies to your sphere. For more scriptures on the topic to read/meditate on, click here.
#seekJesus #transformation #itsaprocess
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