Seeking Fame or the Father?

     John 3:30  He must increase, but I must decrease.
     These are John the Baptist's words as his followers and disciples started to leave him and began instead to follow Jesus.  Several of John's friends had noticed this seemingly distressing trend and, in so many words, essentially confronted him: "Have you noticed they're leaving you for Jesus?  Don't you care?  This Jesus is taking over your powerful, famous work and pretty soon you'll be a has been.  What are you going to do about it?"
     John responds that "A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.  You yourselves bear me witness that I said, 'I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before Him.  The one who has the bride is the bridegroom.  The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice.  Therefore this joy of mine is now complete.  He must increase, but I must decrease." (John 3:27-30)
     Man, this is so counter-cultural!  This is so counter-pride, counter-competitiveness, counter-self-absorption!  This is so contrary to my selfishness and pride!   Everywhere we turn, we are encouraged to be number 1, to have our needs met, to bulk up our self-esteem, to achieve and accomplish and conquer.  And clearly, we are a culture that worships fame and fortune--especially fame. Even if you become infamous, any fame--no matter how ill-conceived or foolishly earned--seems to be better than the alternative of anonymity. We have an entire industry built on following people who are famous merely for being famous.  Seriously, why on earth is anyone in the least bit interested in the Kardashians?   Or that tanning mom or the Octomom.  Good grief.
     Lest I appear in the least bit virtuous here, believe me, I'm not.  I have to fight it tooth and nail, and those sickening sins of pride and selfishness far too frequently rear their hideous head in my life.  O how I hate it in myself!  We all are so prone to wanting to be made much of---or having our children and loved ones made much of--rather than seeking to decrease and Christ to increase.  What a lifelong battle it is for each of us, and what a beautiful example John the Baptist provides for constantly seeking to magnify Christ and minimize self.  
     But, incredibly, in such a reversal--where we make much of our Savior and make less of ourselves--we find completeness of joy (John 3:29).  It's so true, when we are all wrapped up in ourselves, we make a mighty small package.  Such small selfish packages make for small people, small joy, small contentment, small usefulness to the Kingdom.  I don't care how much the world lauds fame and fortune and all that mess--they never satisfy and always ultimately steal peace and joy.
     The other day a friend sent me an article about the most recent "American Idol" winner.  (Now if you think about it, there's a name for you, isn't it? Yes, we certainly do make fame an "idol.")   I confess, I have almost never watched the show, but apparently this year's winner seemed at a loss for words or much of a reaction when he won. He looked stunned and in shock.  They handed him his guitar to sing and play his song in celebration while all the fireworks rocketed and the confetti fell around him.  He only sang a few lines before breaking down in tears and rushing to embrace his family.  He simply couldn't begin to fathom or process what had just happened to him, and to his credit, he was not embracing idolatry and fame and sudden, wild success as the greatest thing in the universe.
     As one writer succinctly expressed it: "The  human soul was not made for fame."
     So true, for fame is far too small and mean a thing to deserve to steal the soul's delight and worship. Likewise for selfishness or greed or pride or materialism.  While appearing to promise much, they deliver little but a barren soul and an empty heart.
     John the Baptist would surely agree, for he knew our souls were designed to magnify and make much of our Lord and to make less of ourselves.  And in that increasing of Him and decreasing of me, we find joy and satisfaction and peace and contentment--the abundant, eternal life.  
     "Our souls were not made for fame.  Our souls were made for the Famous One.  O God, save us from ourselves."  
     Our souls were made for the truly Great and Glorious One, and only in Him will we find our true heart's home.  Not in fame.  Not in fortune. Not in success.  Not in self.  Not in promotion.  Not in achievement.  Not in accolades.  But in Him and Him alone.  O Lord, save us from ourselves and our selfishness and pride and instead help us to seek You and Your glory and Your greatness.   To the God of all that is good and great be all the glory forever.