#537. Forgetting that you are famous.
May 6th by JonThe only time I’ve ever been recognized was not as weird as I thought it would be. I guess in my head I envisioned my family and I would be walking in the mall and some stranger would exclaim, “Jon Acuff? The Jon Acuff? Wow, it is you!” Then I would blush and maybe shield my kids behind me with my arm because this person’s adoration would be so intense. They’d say, “Oh, please, say something that is both sarcastic and insightful at the same time. You’re so wise and adequately heighted.” I’d correct them on the use of the word “heighted” which is actually not a word, and then I’d say two or three off-the-cuff sentences that would change their life and then maybe sign their arm or a Bible if it were available. Seems like a pretty reasonable expectation, right?
It didn’t happen like that. A guy just walked up to me at church and introduced himself. We talked for a few minutes about Stuff Christians Like. The whole thing was over before I knew it and was pretty uneventful. Which is probably exactly how God wanted it.
I tend to get ego drunk pretty quickly. When people compliment me, outwardly I do the Christian courtesy of immediately rejecting the kind words. Inwardly though, I’m often drinking in their kindness and doing a little “look how awesome I am” dance. I’m patting myself on the back with both arms and both legs at the same time, which is difficult but not impossible since I’ve taken yoga twice. (Which may or may not be “of the devil”–jury’s still out on that one.)
Knowing that about myself, knowing I’m prone to massive “me parades,” I am constantly wrestling with God over the unexpected growth of Stuff Christians Like. There’s a circle of famous Christians right now: big pastors, authors who have written amazing books, speakers who stalk conference stages like cougars. And I wanted to be inside it. I wanted to become a famous Christian.
One night while jogging, I confessed that to God. As ugly and as shallow as this sounds, I said to Him, “God, I want my story to give me fame. I want fame. I want to be famous.”
In a split second, I felt like God laughed. Not at me, but with me, which is something I feel like He regularly does. In my heart, I heard:
“Ha! You want fame? The creator of the universe knows your name. The Alpha and Omega knows who you are and what you care about. That’s as famous as you’re ever going to be. Whose acknowledgment of you is going to stand up next to mine?”
At that point, I started laughing too, because He was right. I’m already famous. God knew me in the womb. He knows how many hairs are on my head. He’s my absolutely biggest fan and I’m famous in His eyes. So are you. He’s got a blog about you that is simply astounding. He follows you on Twitter and started a fan group dedicated to you on Facebook. He can’t stop talking about you and pouring out love on you.
Is whatever you’re doing right now in life going to make you famous? Maybe it will, maybe it won’t. But ultimately it doesn’t matter. As Christians, we’ve already peaked. We can stop worrying about trying to become famous Christians. That’s done.
We are all famous.
Comments
Thank you for this post. I appreciate your humbleness.
AP likes it too;
http://twentytwowords.com
this may be more for moms, but i think it can relate to dads too….prolly already seen it, but what the heck.
“The Invisible Woman”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YU0aNAHXP0
btw, something else that isn’t from the devil: people who can’t get their act together and have to leave 2 comments.
I’m not sayin…..I’m just sayin.
wow! thank you!
You should start using the phrase, “off-the-acuff.” It could be used to describe things people say that sound like something you would say.
Then others would start to use it as well. They’d be talking to their friend and be all like, “And so then, off-the-acuff, I was like ‘Don’t leg drop without a permit in this house, man!’”
Then the friend would balk with a slight stutter, “Don’t you mean off-the-cuff, dude?”
And people could lay it down like this, “Whatev, check it:” and then rap your website address in a fashion not altogether removed from that of the FreeCreditReport.com bicycle commercial rap. Which is a rare form of genius.
You hit me today. Picked me up by the collar and slammed me up against a wall. By the sounds of your stature, that would be physically impossible, but your words were quite capable.
I want to be a famous author more than anything. I write a column for my campus paper, and my mood for the week is often set by the response I get. Maybe you do that dance, too.
Thank you for the encouragement. Even if only my wife reads my stuff, I’m still famous with God.
We’ve already peaked. The rest is just bonus.
Dude! You are writing this great new stuff every day?? When do you do any work? Man, you SHOULD be famous for that. I just found you through twitter (how did you find me?) and I like – no I love, your stuff here.
Jon, you’re famous on twenty two words today…….
Fantastic! Thanks for the thumbs up!
Keep the faith…
there’s no god listening to you, when you “talk to god” you’re really just talking to yourself
I look at reality shows and wonder if I’m the only one out here who still “fears” fame? Perhaps I’ve seen the ugly side of fame too often – especially when it comes to famous Christians. It’s a hard fall from the top Jon.
But with that being said, I WISH I could see meet you in person. When I was at Catalyst West (despite your implying that you wouldn’t be there), I kept an eye for you. I really did. Saw Carlos. Said nothing. But had I seen you, I would have looked to the heavens for skittles to fall fresh on us as we side hugged – especially as they closed with Friends Are Friends forever.
I’ve never thought of it that way. And I suppose I could take this a step further and now say that the most famous person I’ve ever met is the Creator of the universe. Which sounds a whole lot better than the guy who played Lamont on Sanford and Son.
I did speak at a retreat, for sixth graders, a couple of weeks ago and I had a girl ask me to sign her bible. Did I? You bet!
I friggin’ love this.
I feel so cool right now. Thanks.
One word: Awesome……..ok that was three but you get the picture! LOL
Thank you.
Uh oh. If God reads my twitterings, I better clean up my act there…
I noticed that you weren’t following me on twitter. There’s really no excuse for that. Especially now that you realise I’m just as famous as you. It’s really only polite.
http://twitter.com/PoppiesBlooming
Also, if you are wondering if you have pig flu, follow this link…
http://doihavepigflu.com
And don’t forget, you have a standing invitation to come round for a cuppa and a biccy next time you are in London. (or the first time if you haven’t been before).
wv: ampton = well this is easy, a cockney saying ‘Hampton’
Last night, our weekly group watched one of Rob Bell’s videos called “Dust.” In the video he talked about how Rabbis (What is the plural form of Rabbi? Octopuses or octopi, Rabbis or Rabbi?) of the day always picked the best and brightest students to follow them, only the ones they were sure would succeed. Jesus, being the greatest Rabbi of His time (all time), picked the 12, some of which were unschooled fishermen, along with the rest of us He has called today. Faith in Jesus is important, but what about Jesus’ faith in us???
It is great article I feel same way ones. God is great to me and He is knowing me very well. But what I find later that people near me need to have recognition of some one that is “better” then him. Some People been traped in the nets of pride, but for other my recognition was a springboard to their success
Jon, it makes my day to read your blog.
love it jon. i like how you are keepign yourself accountable outloud to everyone who reads you… smart. might be the biggest accountability group in history… ha.
“Ha! You want fame? The creator of the universe knows your name. The Alpha and Omega knows who you are and what you care about. That’s as famous as you’re ever going to be. Whose acknowledgment of you is going to stand up next to mine?”
Jon – Can I quote this on my blog? – I love it, and being the consumate people pleasing addict that I am – I need to blow that quote up and post is all over my house.
Great post! – Thanks.
I have to say, seeing that two people commented back on my “foam finger” comment made me have to remember not to get a big head.
Yeah, that’s realy all it takes.
thanks Jon.
From one internal “look how awesome I am” dancer to another… You make me feel just a little more normal… or less strange… or well, it doesn’t really matter which one they’re probably both bad for you! LOL!!!
I LOVE it! Thanks for the reminder.
Good stuff.