I recently read (this morning actually) a passage on how much getting noticed meant to one man who has probably more influence than any of us could ever dream of doing. I have been thinking about it all day.
With a billion people on social media (whatever the number is it’s lot) it seems that getting noticed, going viral, getting likes and clicks, is the epitome for some people, largely ignored by some and then the very few who avoid the web like a flying insect (pardon the picture pun)
I suppose it’s naturally human to want to make our mark, ding the world, stick out, get noticed or maybe even become famous (if only for 5 minutes). How else would one explain how people act or talk when put on camera or have a mic stuck in front of them. They become “somebody” even if they have no clue what they are doing or talking about. I know you have pictures of different people in your head already and I don’t want to know because I have those relatives as well, never mind the ones in the news.
The last basketball game I watched had a “kissing Cam”, camera which zeroed in on couples and when they noticed they were on the big screen they were supposed to kiss in front of 32,000 people watching the screen. One gal couldn’t get her boyfriend to cooperate (He was busy with a beverage and not interested) so she grabbed a total stranger nearby and kissed him. The boyfriend left (Click here, it’s at the end of the video)
Getting noticed has created countless political wars, media frenzies, lying, cheating, school shootings, smearing, countless murders and the negative list could go on and on throughout the centuries of mankind. On a positive note, getting noticed on a resume, playing well in sports, good products, courageous feats, defending from harm, righting wrongs and a countless host of good things can come from getting noticed. We all hope somebody will actually “like” our blog and maybe even make a positive “comment”.
Either way, there is leverage in getting noticed and the world wants leverage.
Consider what I read this morning. It really struck me how much Jesus Christ was worried about getting noticed. It is considered a prophetic passage about Jesus Christ. Isaiah 53:1-5 (It’s better to read the whole passage) says:
Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
There you have it. Jesus had zero concern on getting noticed. There was nothing physically that made Jesus stick out. He would not have been born handsome enough, charismatic enough or rich enough to stick out. No high society head start. So where does that put those of us who want to be like Jesus? Should it not be merely a fruit or after effect that we get noticed?

Bring your beauty, humor and grief

This morning I checked my motives for what I put on social media. It’s good to do once in awhile or we can be sucked into getting noticed for the wrong reasons. So when I really have nothing to say, I shouldn’t post it. Let’s make a deal…Please don’t just hit the “like” button unless any of my posts really had something in it to like. It just makes me run over to your posts to find something to like. You people are good enough so I often find a lot to like (unless you use foul language, it’s a turn off).
Let’s make getting noticed a fruit of our labors and not sacrifice who we should be. The whole world would be quite a place if we were all like Jesus.Here’s to getting noticed for all the right reasons. Cheers! (I have a ginger ale in my glass)
Gary
Note: Pictures were taken this morning on an afternoon walk. No, I’m not in Wisconsin today. It looks like a kid (?) was really missing someone, they left this painted rock by the lake.