Fame Found in Ancient Campfire Stories

The Bible is not immuned to the celebrating of famous people.

FUTURE FAME

A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.  Proverbs 22:1

In the earliest Bible times people sought to find recognition by building a good name for themselves.  One's name was one's brand.  One's name was the image one painted for others to see and for others to believe. 

There were two ways to build fame around one's name.  The first was by building up a name for future generations.  Creating stories and passing down one's name to generations to come may not be today's value, but it was in the times of the ancients.

It became a custom in Israel to commemorate one's name through descendants.  So one of the purposes of having sons was to pass down one's name.  In this way a man would continue to be known by many for generations to come.  Sure, it was usually only the family itself that would continue the name, but passing on one's name was important to the culture as it is even today in certain Jewish circles.

The Law of Moses put down in stone that which was already a practice: If a man died before he was able to have a son, his wife would get a child from the next of kin (usually a brother) in order to pass the name of the dead man on to that child.

If you lived in that world, it was important for future generations of the family to remember your name and remember it as something good.

PRESENT FAME

Fame in the present world was found in two ways.  First of all, there was one's reputation.  Reputation may not be much compared to fame as we see it today, but it was important, just as it is to most of us today.

However, the closes thing to modern day fame was something akin to being an actor.  It was to become the center of a story that would become a legend.  Here is how it works... I accomplish some sort of fantastic feat of bravery and tell others about it.  They in turn tell others, and before long, your great feat  becomes so exaggerated that it becomes somewhat of a tall story which people love to pass on to others.

Until TV came on the scene, these types of tall stories were still very popular and were passed on from house to house and from generation to generation.  Famous people were the source of those stories that became legends that were shared around the fire as the night fell.  Around a small fire people told stories of gods and goddesses, heros and villains, hunters and animals, the crafty and fools, and all sorts of amazing tales.  As some of those stories exaggerated the talent and adventures of individuals and cities, real people became famous for doing above human feats.

The actors in those stories in many cases were real people who became the famous as their life accomplishments became bigger and bigger as the stories were passed on from house to house, tent to tent.  Their stories traveled down time as well as their tales passed down for generations.  No one recognized who they were because there was no print or TV.  No one asked for their autographs, but the actors knew that they were the center of popular story telling.  That was the closest thing to what we would call fame.

And that fame became the pursuit of many.  In fact, one group tried to become famous by becoming the center of a story in which men built a tower so amazing that it reached the gods.

THE TOWER OF BABEL

Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” Genesis 11:4

There were several goals of the people in Genesis 11.  The first was to avoid scattering far and wide.  God had previosly told people to fill the earth, but they wanted to avoid scattering  The second goal was to reach the heavens.  In their time they believed that by reaching the heavens they could reach the world where the gods lived.  And if they could do that, they could obtain the final goal which was to become famous - to make a name for themselves.

Their goals were too much against what God had intended, so their plans fell apart due to divisions.

ABRAHAM

The LORD had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.
"I will make you into a great nation,

and I will bless you;

I will make your name great,

and you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,

and whoever curses you I will curse;

and all peoples on earth

will be blessed through you.”

When God called Abraham, He promised him fame and a blessing that included a good life that would influence others in good ways.  It was a good fame in every way that fame can be good.

The people who built the tower were looking for fame and they got fame.  But the kind of fame they received was not the kind they were looking for.  It reminds me of the Colorado couple Richard and Mayumi Heene, who looking for media attention designed a stunt that went terribly wrong.  Hiding their son in the garage, they told authorities that their son may have climbed aboard a large balloon that had lost its moorings and was 7,000 feet airborne.  When the media discovered they had created a hoax to be famous, national attention turned against them and they ended up serving a sentence in prison.  Their's is the worst kind of fame.  In looking for the glory of fame, they found a tragic form of fame, for not all fame is good.  This father and mother were like the people of Babel who sought fame only to find that their is an evil side to fame when plans go wrong.

God gave Abraham the best type of fame.  It was God-given and not self seeking.

LESSONS FOR TODAY

Fame is a double edged sword.  Famous people know this and try very hard to control it.  When one is famous, one's name, one's image, one's brand is in the hands of others - publicists, tabloids, TV, social media, pictures, and so on.  A famous person can only control so much of that image, but to the amount they can control it, they should - not by crazy self-absorbed living, but by wisdom and good living.  One's fame can be a blessing to others who seek to follow and admire; but one's fame can also become a bad example and guide to thousands of young kids who are pretty clueless about life and what is really important.

Even people who have little or no fame (especially parents, teachers and leaders) should keep this in mind as there will be those who look up to them for direction. But famous people should keep this in mind all the more.

Abraham and Babel also tells us that fame is not necessarily bad and that God can and does make some people famous in good ways and for His own purposes.

Fame in the First Century

There were different types of celebrities in the ancient world, just like there are today.  Today actors and musicians are in the top tier of the celebrity world while war heroes are almost non-existent.  Politicians are up there while poets have a very limited following.

In the ancient Roman world politicians and generals were on the top as were philosophers and poets.  This hierarchy of the celebrity world exposes the core values of a society.  The ancients valued cunning in battle, winning victories, and conquering.  They also placed a high value on knowledge and learning among the elite.

When Paul wrote his letters, only a few years after Jesus had been crucified, the people in his churches had their own celebrities that they clamored to.  Some of them had probably had gone to the arena and seen gladiators who held a certain amount of popularity. Some had listened to local or international philosophers and pondered on what they said, admiring their knowledge and intimidated by their celebrity like popularity.

Paul came into their cities and stirred up things, becoming somewhat of a celebrity as well.  His name grew around the regions of the Mediterranean and people went to hear what all the buzz was about.  In short, Paul had become somewhat of a celebrity with a fair share of people who became his followers - some who became avid fans.

But his popularity was constantly under attack intentionally or unintentionally by others.  Peter, John, Apollos were some of those who stepped into Paul's territory without meaning any harm to him or to his ministry.  Following Paul and moving into the same cities in which he ministered, these three and others won the hearts of many of Paul's followers.

Apollos was an amazing speaker that won over the hearts of those who were seduced by image and charisma.  Peter and John gained celebrity status reputation by being the flesh and blood disciples of Jesus who had become the center of the Christian faith. 

Other preachers moved into Paul's territory with intentions of taking Paul's followers away from him.  Most of them believed they were doing service to God.  Among them were Jewish Christians who hoped to instruct the Gentile Christians in the Law of Moses, thus leading them to a "deeper and better" walk with Christ.  Others had secret and special revelations they wanted to pass on the the new Christians in Paul's churches.  Some used their preaching to gain access into villages and homes of Paul's followers so that they could live off other peoples' kindness and generosity.

Every one of these types of people came into Paul's ministry and knowingly or unknowingly set themselves up as his competition. 

Paul dealt with each of these in different ways - some of which is very surprising.

How to Be a Good Christian While Becoming Famous

If you plan on becoming famous, there are some things you should know and there are some precautions you should take before you become famous and even more while you become famous.  These precautions will help you to live for Christ and to avoid backsliding, thus helping you to keep in the faith and helping you to protect your public image while you rise in the ranks of fame. 

By the way, even if you don't care one way or another about becoming famous, these are good tips for anyone.

1.  Don't make fame your ultimate goal.

Gollum from the J.R. Tolkien's, "The Lord of the Rings."  Gollum was normal Hobbit who became so obsessed with a certain ring that he became a pitiful and wasted creature thinking only of obtaining the ring he called, "My precious."  His obsession with the ring ruined him as does the obsession many people have over fame.

Your goal should not to be famous just to be famous.  If fame is your primary goal, there will be several consequences that you will probably face.

First, you will sell out certain values and convictions you hold dear today.  You think you would never do that, but you will.  Jesus said no one can serve two masters ... you cannot serve God and money.  In a real way serving fame is like serving money.  If you want to serve God, there will be times that you will probably have to make sacrifices that may hinder your career goals. 

Second, if fame is your ultimate goal, you will be overlooking the best and most enjoyable part of your life.  The best part of fame is not always fame itself (which is usually temporary) but the journey you have along the way.  Those small roles and the people you meet along the way can be exciting and fun for those who learn to appreciate each day.   The best time of your life may be under-appreciated because you focus too much on the future, despising the little things each day brings.

Your goal should be to be as good in your craft as you can be.  There is an expression that is attributed to both Arnold Palmer and Gary Player that states, "The more I practice the luckier I get."

To become famous takes a lot of what the world calls luck.  Very few people are assured fame in this life and it seems to be close to impossible to be able to say what will make one person famous and another not.  Many good bands are out there, but only a few will break through to become international stars.  What pushes those few bands into fame is usually sheer luck - meeting the right people at the right time.  But having said that, I will add that the better you are at your craft, the better your chances to discover that luck is on your side.

You will also find that most famous people have moments in the spot light and the spot light dims quickly, and that brings the next lesson you will face when you become famous.

2.  Do not grasp fame and live in fear of losing it.

Jesus was the ultimate example of letting go of clout so others could have life.  The Bible says that he did not grasp at his God-ness but gave it up, becoming a man (Philippians 2).   King Saul grasped to keep his position for his offspring and in doing so he lost everything as well as his favor with God.  He became a mad man bent on destroying other people he feared might take his position away.

This happens in businesses and in most jobs.  Protecting their positions, people turn on others, take credit for other people's ideas, remove other people, lie, cheat, and steal.

3.  Find ways to worship.

When you become famous, you will probably find it very hard to get to church on the weekends.  Your busy schedule will take every ounce of time away from you, tossing you into crowds and people of all sorts who will look to you and want to be near you - not because you are so awesome, but because you are famous (this can be disappointing, because if you become incredibly famous, your new friends will probably be more obsessed with your fame and clout than they will be about you as a person).  Because your schedule will be so crazy, when you will have any time off, you will most likely rather crash somewhere on a couch or a bed than go to a church where there are a lot more people to deal with.

Prepare yourself for this and have a church you can visit when possible.  If you go to a large church that has multiple services, there may be more services on Saturday and Sunday, and you will be able to find a more convenient time for your schedule.  There are also church services online which is another way to get something while you are traveling.  The key is this:  Do not let yourself go spiritually.  Find ways to learn more about the Bible, to pray with other Christians, and to experience corporate worship in some way.

3.  Find time for personal devotions.

I don't really buy that people don't have time for devotions.  People of all types of jobs feel this way, even though they can find time to read a book, watch TV, sit on the computer, play video games, or whatnot.  No matter how busy your schedule will be and no matter what job you have, find 20 minutes a day (more for some) for prayer and reading Bible.   Better yet, find a Christian in your everyday life with whom you can share 20 minutes a day reading the Bible and praying.

4. Don't let temptation win.

There are a lot of temptations for anyone in any life, but in the celebrity world, I think there are more.  You may be offered drugs, sex, or any amount of other temptations that face people of all kinds.  Duh!  But there seems to be one major difference.  As you rise in the celebrity world, these things will help you to step temporarily away from the craziness of the world in which you will enter...and they will be endless...and they will be abundant.

Right now you think you will be able to handle all of this, but when the time comes, you will find that your personal convictions and morals will change to serve a different set of rules.

To prepare yourself properly, write out rules for yourself before all the temptations come.  Sit down and write out your own personal code of conduct.  Write things such as:
a.  I will not be alone with the member of the opposite sex (except family).
b.  I will continue to tithe to my church.
c.  I will not ever take drugs or drink more than one drink.
d.  I will not take more prescription drugs than absolutely necessary.
e.  I will be nice to people around me, no matter who they are.
f.  I will never give the finger to the paparazzi.

I think you get the picture.  Rules help us a lot in life and will help you in your future.

5.  Don't let your peers redefine your morals.

You may think that some people have no morals, but in fact, they do have a lot of morals; but they may not be the same morals you value now.  Being around nice people with a different set of moral will rub off on you for good and for bad - this is true in anywhere, but more so in the world of fame. 

You will have one big problem working against you when it comes to morals, and it has to do with you - not other people.  In all likelihood, you think you are and will always be a lot more moral than you really are.  It is a cold hard reality wake-up for some people how easily they fall into temptation - sexual or other - far easier than they ever thought they would - too easily.  If you do not accept this, you are a set up for disaster.  The Bible rightly says, "So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! (1 Corinthians 10:12)  You will learn in life that given the right circumstance, you are far more capable of doing bad things than you think.

For some people, falling into temptation is a drastic move they didn't expect.  Others slide into it over many months or years of going down a slow slope of excuses, justifications and self-denials.  Both ways end in the same pit.

To avoid failure in temptations, write a personal code of conduct as mentioned above.  Revisit it from time to time and see where things are changing.


6.   Watch out for and understand entitlement.

Part of the allure of fame is the freedoms from constraints that come with fame.  If you become famous enough, you will have more money, many more friends (you will wonder why they are your friends - is it only the fame?), and many more freedoms.  You will have less constraints holding you back from doing anything you want.

This will be the avenue to some of your greatest problems.  As people around you approve of anything you do, you will feel more and more entitled to whatever you feel you need or want.  This is a big reason some celebrities go wild and why many burn out, crash, die, or break down.

Others will not give you the constraints you need to keep you from self destruction, so you will have to build your own constraints.  If you do not, you will foolishly fall into the same trap so many others have before you.  The fun, the excitement, and the craziness of the unconstrained life will be awesome at first, but in time, like so many famous people before you, you will be like the prodigal son wallowing in the pigs' pen.

Writing your own code of conduct before all this happens will help you to curb your enthusiasm over so much freedom.

7. Don't give the media your bad side.

We all make mistakes, and you will too.  When you will become famous, your mistakes will be food for the media.  Media and the public will love to see you screw up.  Justin Bieber and his dad may be a mess right now, but the worse he gets, the more publicity he gets.  Paparazzi love his screw ups - when he urinates on a public wall, when he throws things at his neighbor, when he smokes pot in his private jet, when he sleeps with models, and when he messes things up with his on again off again girlfriend.  Media loves it and so does the public who read the magazines and websites.

When you screw up when you are famous...the media will love it, the world will love it, and your fans will even love it.  So if you want to avoid the public embarrassment, write up a code of conduct which will include a section on your public image, and how to avoid getting caught (preferably by not doing anything that will embarrass you).  I would write a bullet point something like:  "I will not do anything I would not want to be made public; and in the case where I fail, I will the needed steps to make things right." 

8.  Use the media to define your image.

It is wise for you to ask a lot of questions about your public image.  Media will either create it for you (not good) or you can help create your own for the media.  Although the media was not always friendly to Billy Graham, he helped create the image he wanted them to promote.  In other words, learn how to use the media for designing your own image and don't let them completely define it for you.  Of course, you will not ever be able to control the media entirely, but you will be able to use the media to a great degree.

To learn how to use media, search online and find a book or two.  Talk to your publicist and get answers on how to do this.  The Bible says that there is wisdom with many counselors.  Find knowledgeable and experienced people who can help you create your own image.

Part of your image will be created by what you now put into Facebook, Twitter and other online websites.  Be aware that what you put up innocently among a few friends may easily become bigger than you ever imagined.  Good workers have lost jobs because of what they have posted online.  What may seem harmless fun now may haunt you in the future.  Be very careful about what you post, especially pictures and what you say about others.

Finally, as you work on your public image - find ways to bring Christ into it.  


CONCLUSION

The best way to prepare for fame is to build good boundaries now.  Create a code of conduct for yourself that you will live by and hold to for the future.  Revisit that code regularly to make sure you are not sliding downward without knowing it.

I cannot emphasize enough that you cannot and should not trust your own feelings that tell you that you will have no problem doing the right thing when the time comes.  This feeling is the set up needed to lure you into temptations and spiritual failure.  Create your code of conduct!

Porsche's Grant Larson Makes the Best Christmas Cards

GRANT LARSON - THE DESIGNER OF THE PORSCHE BOXTER AND PANAMERA

My brother's best friend in art college in Milwaukee, WI (Grant), was a genius as an artist.  In the 1980s He sent my wife and me a self designed Christmas card that blew us away.  I have never seen a card that was so artistically beyond brilliant.  It was heads and tails better than any modern Christmas card drawing I had ever seen.  It was basic, simple, yet brilliant.  Did I use the word brilliant too much?  It just was.  I don't know what happened to that card, but it disappeared in years of travel and moving around in life, but  I will say this, Grant was so good that he could make a Chistmas tree light bulb look cool.

All I remember of the card was a light bulb that posed as a rocket travelling through digital space.

After studying in Milwaukee, Grant moved to Pasadena, CA to finish his schooling there.  And then after some time working for another car maker in Europe, Porsche scooped him up and Grant moved to Germany where he met his wife and started a family.  As a young man, somewhere around 30 years old, he did what very few companies would dare to permit:  Without a team, he designed the exterior of the Porsche Boxter - the car that helped Porsche break into the more affordable market and as a result helped Porsche to stay in the business.

Today Grant is the Exterior Designer for the company.
A recent article said this about Grant:
He has been responsible for such bold and breakthrough designs as the original Boxster and Panamera, who's production stunned the automotive world and have taken Porsche to an entirely new level. Grant also led designs for the Carrera GT (show car), the 911 (type 997) Carrera and Turbo, and enthusiast cars such as the most recent 911 Speedster, Boxster Spyder, and 911 Sport Classic (http://www.fastcodesign.com/porsche-grant-larson).

When Grant is in the U.S. he is persued by very famous people like Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld and other famous entertainers who are also car enthusiasts.

Grant became famous for his amazing creative talent - and, as he admits, for being at the right place at the right time.  For those who design cars, Grant is one of the best if not the best.

The Deaconess Who Married a Powerful African War Lord

SUSAN

For personal reasons, I don't care to give out her real name.  Susan was a White American middle class wife and a deaconess in my church (when I was a Pastor).   As I viewed her, she was the kind of person who stopped at nothing to get what she wanted (which can be good in the right situations).  She was also the kind of person who was, like many, attracted to other people's power, position and/or fame. 

During the 1990s, a lot of African refugees came into my church to worship with us.  Susan was at the forefront of ministry to and for them.  The refugees in our church had ties to high places in their government, which was captivating for Susan.  Within a few months, she had made the connections needed to be on the phone regularly with the Vice-President of the African nation.  And in time she visited the VP in his own country.  With the encouragement of her own father, she divorced her husband and married the VP, thus placing her in a polygamous marriage. 

Her father was also very much drawn to others who were famous and/or powerful in his own mind.  For his living, he sold books written by famous Charismatic authors, pastors and laymen.  He sold his books at the conferences these famous Christians spoke at.  Her father also worshiped at the altar of fame.  As I viewed him, he sought to live his life in the fame shadows of famous people (Christians), licking up the crumbs that fell from their plates.

Even today, as the First Lady of an African nation, Susan is not known to most people in the U.S., but many in her husband's country know who she is... I think.  Actually, I am not sure how much the VP wants his people to know one of his wives is an American white lady.

I have not talked to Susan for 12 years.  I saw her husband, the VP, one time at a family event (I was still friends with many in her family), but didn't care to meet him or introduce myself to him. 

Jimmy Swaggart

I like to read.  I like to read especially about people who make a difference in the world, some for good and some for bad.  Either way, as a subject, fame is fascinating.  There are people I know and who I am close to who are famous, and there are people who simply stoke my interest. 

It's not Always Good to Be Famous

I use to go to a small Assemblies of God church in Hialeah, FL with the nicest pastor you could ever know.  Jim Rentz and his wife were great - I visited them a lot when I was stationed in Opa Locka. 

Jim moved from his AG church and headed up Jimmi Swaggart's church in Baton Rouge, LA, when Jimmy Swaggart was the biggest T.V. preacher in the world. 

As a young man barely out of High School, I became a born again Christian down South, which meant I had to get rid of all my Rock and Roll albums and replace them with Gospel and Southern Gospel music.  During this phase in my life for some odd reason, I began listening to and enjoying Jimmy Swaggart's boogey woogey style of piano playing, and  in time, I grew to love the crooning type of Gospel music he performed.

Even though I could listen to his music for hours, I always hated his preaching.  I always felt attacked when he preached and I could only put up with so much of that.

As I grew older and grew in my faith, I slowly returned to the Rock and Roll that I so dearly loved as a High Schooler and drifted away from Jimmy Swaggart's music. 

Not too long after, when I lived in Brussels, Belgium, I stopped at a book store and saw a book by Jimmy Swaggart about fornication which caught my interest.  As I paged through the book, I saw a different Jimmy than I heard preaching.  To this day I am convinced he had a ghost writer pen the pages of the book.  Even though it was a subject I expected Jimmy to write about, it just wasn't Jimmy's style of writing or study.

Around that same time, I had also read that Jimmy called Christian Rock the "fornication of Gospel music," which in hindsight is a very interesting description.

After living in Europe for one year, I moved into the forests of  the Congo, as a missionary, smack dab in the middle of Africa.  I was talking to a friend that day about Jimmy Swaggart.  I told him, "Usually, when people preach against some particular sin, its because they have the problem themselves, but I don't think Jimmy Swaggart would do that, even though he writes and preaches so much against fornication."  I made the mistake of thinking that anyone with a huge ministry like that would want to protect it and stay holy, but one week later, Jimmy Swaggart's crying face was all over the news in the U.S. stating, "I have sinned!" 

The day I heard about his mishap, I learned then that people are as careless about their morals when they are successful as they are when they have no success.  After attacking and destroying the ministry of a fellow minister for his sexual failures, Jimmy was busted by that same preacher he ruined.  The other preacher took pictures of Jimmy entering into a hotel with a prostitute.

Again, 3 months after his tearful confession, a police man pulled him over and Jimmy had another prostitute in his car with a pile of pornographic magazines he was trying to stuff under the seat.

After the second time of being publicly shamed, and after ignoring the Assemblies of God's discipline, Jim Rentz, my old pastor (who was the pastor for Jimmy Swaggart's church), fired Jimmy Swaggart from his position, but Jimmy Swaggart turned around and fired Rentz who then left Jimmy's fold.

Since that terrible time (for Swaggart) I have read several books and articles about Jimmy and I discovered that Jimmy Swaggart's wife holds a strong hand over him, his kids, their wives, and the people who work for him. 

CONCLUSIONS

Drama doesn't get any better.  I spent days after these types of exposures, thinking about whoever just lost their dignity.   I get hit with a lot of feelings.  I get angry, repulsed, frustrated and thankful.  I become thankful for several reasons:
1.  First of all like the 1st Century stereotypical pharisee, I become thankful that I am not like other people:
     a.  I don't visit prostitutes
     b.  I have never had any affair
     c.  I have nothing in my history that would shame my reputation (for whatever my reputation is worth).

I know I am hypocritical in part, because I cannot throw the first stone, but I am thankful that although I struggle as anyone else does, I do not struggle with the types of sins that would disgrace me.  And because I don't have those types of issues, I don't have to worry about getting caught in anything disgraceful. 

2.  I wonder what it would be like to be in the situation of embarrassment.  How do their kids feel, their wives, and friends?  Were Jimmy's kids neglected as so much attention went to him after the fall?  How did they feel about the dad they admired and loved?

3.  How could someone so depraved get to be such a famous pastor?  It seems unfair.  When I was a pastor, I put every ounce of energy I could into living right before God and yet my 2nd church struggled with divisions, jealousies, fear, and a lack of trust in each other and in their pastor.  My first priority was keeping right before God; and I felt good about that.  But Jimmy Swaggart lived a secret life visiting with prostitutes and pornographic magazines, spending the money his church members tithed toward God.

4.  How does someone live with such huge contradiction?

Most of all I think about the proverb: "The bigger they are, the harder they fall."