Are you well known?
For what?
Never before in human history have so many people had as many opportunities via technology to be well known!
With posting pics and opinions via social media, we can garner likes and followers by the hundreds, even thousands! Videos can go viral, getting millions of hits. Embarrassing moments can get viewed by all your friends and many more strangers, and you can never fully erase it from the internet.
It seems like there is a strong temptation in our generation to be well known for the sake of being well known. It doesn’t really matter for what, it seems, anymore.
For those of us more sophisticated, we may want to use social media or our social network to become well known for our accomplishments at work or in the community, for the kind of vacations we take or hobbies we pursue, for our lifestyle or cute kids, our religious or political beliefs.
What was Jesus well known for? In the gospel Mark writes about how Jesus became well known among the people of Israel, and eventually the king. Word got around that Jesus was a very wise teacher, he used his miraculous powers to heal the sick and disabled in the villages, he was a compelling preacher, and a revered prophet.
Jesus was known for being a brilliant, courageous, talented man who leveraged his power and authority to compassionately heal and transform the lives of ordinary folks, particularly the poor and the oppressed.
When you are well known for loving the poor and empowering them to get back on their feet again, the government takes notice. In Jesus’ case, he confounded the people and those in positions of authority. Jesus didn’t use lies, violence, or coercion to make himself well known or to enrich his pockets, and he didn’t gain power in order to get appointed to positions of political authority.
Jesus courageously used his power to heal people, to call them to repentance, and to join the kingdom of God – a way of life marked by justice and peace, flourishing for all. And this gave him more power, not less.
But it also added to the confusion – people still had religious and political assumptions about Jesus that they just couldn’t let go of. Jesus was well known, though not always well understood or appreciated. That is how it always works.
The real danger is that there are those who profit from the injustices in our community. There are those who don’t want to be told that they are in the wrong, that they are oppressing the poor, that their ambitions and morals are an offense to the community and God.
Jesus and his cousin John the Baptist preached a message of repentance – return to the Lord, turn your life around, wash your sins away, be made clean in spirit, mind and body. And this got John beheaded and Jesus crucified.
There is great joy, though it may be mixed with great sorrow, of leveraging your talents, resources, and power to be good news to the community. The good news of the kingdom of God is for Israel and the world- God’s will is being done on earth as it is heaven through the body of Christ!
What is God’s will for humanity? That we all have enough bread for the day, that we forgive each other like God forgives us, and that we aren’t overcome by trials, but instead overcome evil with good.
This is the Lord’s prayer for us, that he taught to us, that he calls us to, and that he answers through us.
May this be what you become well known for.
Need some ideas?
Mentor youth. Volunteer at your local public school. Walk your neighborhood and be friendly. Exude hope.
Support local businesses. Slow down enough to really listen to what your kids, grandkids, nieces and nephews really have to say. Give people a second chance.
Don’t be a jerk at work or in traffic. Let go of grudges quicker. Don’t buy so much stuff. Be faithful.
Eat real food. Vote. Befriend the homeless. Choose to be courageous when you feel afraid. Tip generously. Smile.
