Of all of the pursuits of pleasure, prosperity, power, position and popularity, the one that I am usually driven by is popularity. There are some who live by the principle, eat, drink and be merry pursuing pleasure, while others chase after a prosperous life amassing materialistic wealth and riches. There are then some who seek to be rulers with power while others seek position with short lived titles conferred by men. Another category of people are those who seek to be known and the pursuit of popularity drives their decision. I would categorize myself to be one of those. Most decisions I take in corporate life are those which could result in making a name for myself or my business. There is nothing wrong with this, except if the pursuit of making a name for ourselves compromises our relationship with God and man.

We often seek to make a name by pursuing our personal interests so that fame can follow but this is antithesis to the way Jesus lived on earth. He sought no fame and the Scripture in fact records that He made himself of no reputation (Philippians 2:7). He did not choose to pursue His own personal interests but solely did and finished the will and work of God the Father who had sent Him (John 4:34). Even in the events leading to His death, He chose to  let it be God’s will and not his own (Luke 22:42). Interestingly however, even though Jesus worked to make a name for God, He got noticed. His fame was noticed by kings and king Herod the tetrach heard the fame of Jesus because of the mighty works He did. Not only did men hear of Jesus, but even God gave him a Name that is above all names (Philippians 2:9). From this, we learn that by working toward making a name for God, instead of pursuing a name for ourselves, we will be noticed by men and even more by God, which is far more important than anything else.

Point(s) to ponder:
Seek a name for yourself, and you may have some fame that is ephemeral! Seek a name for God, and you will have fame that is eternal!

Matthew 14:1 (KJV)
1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus

Philippians 2:5-11 (KJV)
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.