There has been an unusually high number of famous people who have died since the beginning of the year. In early January there was David Bowie and Alan Rickman and last week Victoria Wood and Prince. And in between quite a few other notable people.
Someone has suggested that part of the reason for this is that there are more famous people than there used to be. At one time the only people who were known world-wide were in the movies. But then came television and the internet and social media and men and women in all walks of life become household names. In 1968 the artist Andy Warhol said: ‘In the future everybody will be famous for fifteen minutes.’ We might just be seeing that happening.
It was possible to be famous thousands of year ago. There is a king who is mentioned in the Bible, Solomon, who lived many years before Jesus. Solomon was remarkable for his scholarship, his wisdom and state-craft and he was known beyond the bounds of his own country. People would travel hundreds of miles to make contact with him and benefit from his gifts. Jesus became famous in his own country. His public life only lasted for about three years but wherever He travelled people would come to be healed of their diseases and to hear His teaching.
If they listened to His teaching they would understand that life wasn’t just about making a name for yourself. The important thing was living a life that acknowledged God and that was obedient to values that flowed from God. Jesus spoke about how God was seeking to overcome everything that was cruel and painful and unjust. He was seeking to build a Kingdom on earth where love and justice and peace would be established. And he was seeking to do this through people who would accept His values and work towards the vision of a renewed earth.
The way Jesus saw this working was not in a spectacular way but in quiet ways that may never hit the headlines. He told a story about the end of human history when He would return to the earth and God’s great Kingdom would finally be established. That was the moment when He would gather to Himself all those who had shown in their lives the values of the Kingdom. Who were they? They were the ones who had fed the hungry, gave water to the thirsty, provided hospitality for strangers. They were the ones who clothed the naked, cared for the sick, visited people in prison.
These are things that go on every day in so many societies largely unnoticed. They won’t bring you world-wide fame or win you an award or get you an invite to a chat-show but Jesus saw in all this the evidence that God was working in the world to bring renewal and hope. So we should never underestimate the power of kindness towards others who are struggling, and never mind if it never gets noticed or acknowledged. You are famous in the eyes of God.
