Fame
I used to think it would be great to be known by everyone.
After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He did not wish to go about in Judea because the Jews were looking for an opportunity to kill him. Now the Jewish festival of Booths was near. So his brothers said to him, 'Leave here and go to Judea so that your disciples also may see the works you are doing; for no one who wants to be widely known acts in secret. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.' (For not even his brothers believed in him.) Jesus said to them, 'My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify against it that its works are evil. Go to the festival yourselves. I am not going to this festival, for my time has not yet fully come.' After saying this, he remained in Galilee. But after his brothers had gone to the festival, then he also went, not publicly but as it were in secret. - John 7:1-10
Today’s Gospel reading from John is a bit puzzling.
It starts out with Jesus not wanting to be seen in public, but then his brothers seem to taunt him. John says they are pushing him to reveal himself because they don’t believe in him.
Jesus gets back at them by telling them they belong to this evil world, which is why the world doesn’t hate them.
So, they are not on such great terms.
That may explain why Jesus goes to the festival in secret.
Once people can recognize you, your words can make you a target. Until they match you to your story, you are safe, invisible, able to walk in secret.
Fame comes at a price.
In today’s reading, Jesus manages to get out among the people to hear what they were saying about him, but soon he will be too popular to do that. Everywhere he goes, crowds will converge on him.
His message will take a back burner, as his healing ministry takes over.
Before we go out to seek fame, we should know what we will do with it, how we will manage to live with it. It may not be all it is cracked up to be.
It may be more of a curse than a blessing.
Isn’t it better to do our good works secretly? Ah, but don’t we all want recognition for what we do?
hat may be the lesson here. Be careful what you ask for. You might just get it.
More to come...