When I was little, I wanted to be famous. I thought if I could be famous, I would matter.
Once I grew up and came to know Jesus, that dream faded away, and I really wanted to be influential. I wanted to make a difference in my world, leave a legacy behind that inspired people long after I was gone.
But now that I’ve lived life for a while, I’ve learned that it doesn’t matter if I’m on the cover of a magazine or if I have enough money to build wells in Africa. That stuff isn’t bad. And people in those positions can do good things, if they choose. What matters is how I treat the people I come into contact with each day, in person or online—how I love others.
And that changes the way I behave in regards to my dream.
Because living for fame alone is really living in fear of being forgotten. And living for influence alone is really living to prove how many good works I can accomplish. But living for love impacts people every day with the face of Jesus.
How cool is that?
I recently heard a Ukrainian woman speak about significance at the Oasis Church in Los Angeles. Her name is Vera Kasevich, and you can hear the same message I heard on Vimeo at this link: vimeo.com/24160621. Her accent is amazing!
In short, Vera says there are four types of people:
- Common people- People who have a close circle of friends and family.
- Popular people- People we read about in magazines or watch on TV.
- Influential people- Powerful people like politicians, business leaders, or Oprah.
- Significant people- People who love and serve like Jesus, who do what’s right without reward or recognition.
We can live our lives chasing after popularity or influence or settle for being ordinary. But God wants more for our lives. He wants us all to be significant, to love other people and put them above ourselves, to be willing to do whatever he asks of us.
So how does that fit in with the dream God is calling you toward? Can common, popular, or influential people still be significant people? What do you think? Leave a comment and let me know.
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