Daily Bread

Then little children were being brought to him in order that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples spoke sternly to those who brought them; but Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.’ And he laid his hands on them and went on his way.

Jesus was popular. Very popular. Crowds followed him and his entourage wherever he went, and some went ahead of him to be in his path when he reached them. People knew he was an envoy from God, and as a rabbi he was venerated and respected, therefore, it is no surprise that people brought little children to him for him to lay hands on them and ask for God's blessing.

I can imagine the scene — the mothers meekly and gently encouraging their toddlers to step forward, hoping Jesus would beckon them to his side, then the disciples stepping in, loud, brash, waving hands and barring the autograph-hunting parents, like bodyguards trying to protect the interests of their superstar rabbi. Okay, so I'm being anachronous, but you get the point!

There's nothing wrong with being popular, well-known, or famous even, but it's what we do with that fame that matters. In our contemporary culture, fame, it seems, is an end in itself. Social media companies constantly ply us with the message that we can become the next FlikTok or TrueTube star — we just need more views and likes — but popularity should not be an end in itself. Like Jesus, we need to be authentic, true to ourselves, and to our calling.

Pride can be present in any area of our lives, and we need to ask ourselves why we are doing something — and be brutally honest about our motives. Do I overwork because I truly believe in the company or organisation I work for, or is it so people will notice and tell me how wonderful and sacrificial I am? Do I need a brand new shiny truck because it's really what I need or is it because I want people to see it on my driveway? Do I share my videos on Flicktock because I have something I think will benefit others, or is it because I want people to notice me? Do I check the number of 'Amens' on a Daily Devotion to see how popular it was to boost my self-worth? (cough).

To ground fame and popularity we need the assurance and security of knowing who we are. Jesus' identity was as the Son of God, and our identity is as children of God. Affirmation, praise, views, and likes from others are all lovely things, but they are not the end in themselves. We no longer depend on them when we are secure in our relationship with God.

Today, stop and spend a few minutes just 'being'. There is nothing you need to do to earn God's love. There is nothing you can do to make God love you more, and nothing you can do to make God love you less. Take a deep breath and rest in God's presence.

Holy God
I often feel that
I need to earn
love and respect from
others and from you,
yet you love me
as your child and
long to bless me.
Therefore, I come to you
offering nothing but myself,
and longing to find rest
in your presence.
Now and forever.