You Mean Nothing

(brightsideofnews.com)

     That image up there represents the population of the world. 7.046 billion.To put that into perspective, the average county population in 2012 was 100,000 people. Every single person you encounter - cashiers, teachers, performers, people next to you in traffic jams - has a life of their own. Every morning they arise and have a set list of things to accomplish, different sources of stress, different people to interact with, and different things to which they can look forward. In the book The Science Of Evil by Simon Baron Cohen, he talks about how empathy disappears when humans objectify other humans, when we see other people as objects in our way rather than people with lives and passions. Take a moment to think of the most important people in the world.

via twittercounter.com  

     These are the three most followed people on twitter, all prominent figures in pop culture, all musicians. Read the descriptions of their twitter profiles. What are they promoting? It's a pretty simple product of the 21st century human equation. Self-promotion and inflated inspiration. There's nothing necessarily wrong with advertising or encouragement, but I feel that the majority of humanity has missed the point of why we exist. 

     The most sold book throughout all history is A Tale Of Two Cities selling more than 200 million copies. It was written in 1859. Surprisingly, after a quick scroll through Wikipedia's page of best-selling books it is one of the oldest, if not the oldest book on the list. My point? We are beginning to erase our own history. Who and what do we remember of people 50 years ago, 100 years ago, 500 years ago? Human fame doesn't last. Our attempts to grind out way to the top and be the best in our field won't last long before a new and improved version of ourselves shows up. Our fifteen minutes of fame would be lucky to last even that long. 

      An article on billboard.com reveals ten artists who have had "breakout" years in 2013. We probably know most if not all of their names, and if not that just further proves what I'm saying. These breakout artists won't be around forever. Even if they turn into the next generation's Blondie, they aren't going to be esteemed much past their 60's. 

     So far I've presented cynical and most likely condescending viewpoints of my opinion on pop culture. I'm well aware of this. I don't believe that the entertainment business and the society in which we live is completely stupid, but I do believe most of its morals are. We are fighting tooth and nail for the possibility at a shot to make our names stand out. Out of seven billion people, what are the chances that one person will make a lasting difference for good? How are we, one individual soul, going show others our insights into life and love and spirituality without controversy and hate? I am very much against assuming I have the answers to many matters in which there is dispute, in this case I know for a fact that the answer has been given to me. 

     We can't make a lasting different. One out of seven billion means nothing eternally. All human effort, matter how well planned or genuinely heartfelt will crumble as an effect of the depravity of man. Fortunately for Christians, we have a omniscient God who has meticulously orchestrated every occurrence in our lives and to infinity and beyond. There are no coincidences in God's universe. 

" I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him. That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away." - Ecclesiastes 13:14-15

    Even the most meaningless happenings in our lives have a purpose and that is what gives us eternal fame. In a sermon I heard once that if God was a film, we would be the extras. We don't have to preoccupy ourselves with fretting over our own fame and fortune. There is a insurmountable joy in clinging onto God's everlasting promises and being able to say "I got to be a part of that!". For our little fraction of eternity we have the opportunity to hold fast to God's promises and be part of His plan for the world. Once that's in perspective, wanting to be recognized for out own accomplishments in merely a symptom of the fall - a residual effect of being human. 
      Though we try to "steal the spotlight" from God, He still pours out grace for that. Jesus died for that sin, the sin of an egocentric world. Find joy in your life pointing to God. It's a lifelong process, one that no one has perfected or balanced, but the joy found in the Lord is so much fuller than the joy found in fleeting popularity. Being able to identify our sins and say "that is why Christ died" has such a profound effect because Christ death is what makes communion with God possible. Standing at the foot of the cross and clinging to Christ instead of the alter to ourselves is how we continually die to ourselves and confess our need for a Savior instead of always making ourselves kind of the world.
      When I think about it, if I place myself on the throne with all my insecurities and sin patterns, the world would suck. If I were the ultimate standard the way I often see it in my head, the whole world would be led completely astray. The fact that we have a God who is perfect in every way as the king of the world instead of ourselves is completely humbling and mind-blowing - and we get to hold on to Him.