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Announcer (00:00:00): It's time to think about the Bible like you never have before. This is Christian Questions. Experience more episodes, videos and Bible study resources at ChristianQuestions.com. Today's topic is, "Am I Playing the Social Status Game?" It used to be that kids wanted to be doctors or firefighters or teachers when they grew up. Now ask a kid what they want to be, and the answers include YouTubers or social influencers. What happened? Social acceptability has gone from service oriented to status seeking. What does it all mean? Here's Rick, Jonathan and Julie.

Rick (00:00:38): Welcome everyone. I'm Rick. I'm joined by Jonathan, my co-host for over 25 years. And Julie, a longtime CQ contributor is also with us. Jonathan, what's our theme scripture for this episode?

Jonathan (00:00:50): Matthew 20:27-28: "And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many."

Rick (00:01:04): It's a natural human response to want to be recognized for who we are and for what we contribute. This is easy to observe. Just look at a small child who does something to be helpful or obedient. When their parent recognizes and praises their behavior, their face beams with delight. While it's positive in nurturing to praise growth and maturity, we also need to be wary. As with anything else that provokes goodness in our sinful world, the simplicity of building another up can be misrepresented and funneled into the ever-growing competition for status among our peers. Now it's no longer about building up; it's all about establishing our place in the pecking order and fighting our way to be higher up on that ladder. This is not a new phenomenon as the Bible has much to say about avoiding it. We're going to be talking about the social status game. Before we get started, I just want to say that much of this came from a fellow Christian. His name is Jerry. He's a fellow pastor, and he gave a sermon at a recent gathering about the status game and I asked him for his notes because there was so much valuable information. So thank you, Jerry, for your contributions here. Let's get started. Let's define social status and then let's define what it means to be an influencer.

Jonathan (00:02:23): "Social status" means "a person's standing or importance in relation to other people within a society, including the associated rights, duties and lifestyle based on honor or prestige."

Julie (00:02:37): For the older ones in our audience, an "influencer" is "someone who has the power to affect the purchasing decisions of others because of their authority, knowledge, position, or relationship with that audience." They actively engage in their topic of expertise. Now, these aren't people who are just posting "duck lip" selfies and trying to sound important. They genuinely influence the behavior of their social media followers. They've built a reputation for their knowledge and expertise on a specific topic, and they generate large followings of enthusiastic, engaged people who pay close attention to their views. Brands who want to sell things collaborate with influencers as part of their marketing strategy. They're called "social relationship assets." It's estimated that there's just about 5 billion social media users worldwide. Generation Z - that's late teens and early twenties - now spend more time on the internet than watching TV or going to sports or movies, so they're the most likely demographic to look to influencers to guide them with their decision-making.

Rick (00:03:45): Influencers play a big role in our world. What do we do with that as Christians when we go by old-fashioned values? That's really the comparison here. Jesus spoke very directly about the way his followers were to respond to these very temptations, though he rarely taught us to not seek status. Instead, he taught us what to be like. There are three things he really taught us what to be like. The first is to be like children. Jonathan, let's go to Matthew 18:1-4:

Jonathan (00:04:20): "At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And he called a child to himself and set him before them, and said, Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Jesus tells us to become children because children are teachable, quick to forgive, compassionate, curious and resilient.

Rick (00:04:53): The first thing he says is, "Be like children." We're going to expand that in a little bit. The next thing Jesus explains for us to be like is, it says, be like those who are poor. Let's look at Matthew 5:3. This is the Beatitudes:

Jonathan (00:05:09): "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

Julie (00:05:14): To be poor in spirit is to be humble, not making yourself more important than you are, but it also means not having so little self-esteem that we're worthless. Proverbs 29:23 says, "A man's pride will bring him low, but a humble spirit will obtain honor."

Rick (00:05:31): Be poor in spirit; in other words, have an accurate assessment of who you are and be that person. Now when we look at the Luke rendering of the Beatitudes, it's not as clearly recorded in list form as in Matthew. In Matthew, you can just see a very clear list, but Luke gives us more of a conversational approach. As we read Luke, we want to be sure to carry forward the thought of not being poor in a physical sense, but being poor in self-spirit as Matthew described. So that's an additional thought to the Luke rendering that we want to be very, very careful to make sure we include. Jonathan, let's go to Luke 6:20-26:

Jonathan (00:06:11): "And turning his gaze toward his disciples, he began to say, Blessed are you who are poor (remember, this means poor in spirit), for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man. Be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven. For in the same way their fathers used to treat the prophets."

Rick (00:06:46): Jesus is laying out, "Blessed are you if you..." As he continues, he compares those who are rich. Because it's a direct comparison to being poor, we want to understand that we see this as being rich in self-spirit, the way it's being poor in self-spirit, then well-fed and being socially secure, so forth and so on. We want to look at these things as these personal attributes one way or another because that's the way we think Jesus is teaching us here. Let's continue with Luke 6, Jonathan, verses 24-26:

Jonathan (00:07:19): "But woe to you who are rich (remember, this means rich in spirit), for you are receiving your comfort in full. Woe to you who are well-fed now, for you shall be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers used to treat the false prophets in the same way."

Julie (00:07:40): Just to note, it's never good when Jesus says "Woe to you." We have to pay close attention to those "woes." The people were used to seeing this certain standard of behavior from their spiritual leaders. Jesus is showing them a completely opposite model.

Jonathan (00:07:54): And he's not saying we're great if we don't have money. Greatness comes from the humble approach to godliness.

Rick (00:08:02): That's really an important aspect of this. When Jesus says, "Be like those who are poor," he doesn't mean be like a destitute individual. He means be like someone who has an accurate understanding of the bigness of the world around you and the smallness of yourself and all of the things that come along with that. Blessed are those who are poor, poor in self-spirit. He's telling us, "Be like children and be like those who are poor, those who have that humble, humble approach to life." He also tells us to be like something or somebody else. He tells us to be like a servant. Matthew 20:26-28:

Jonathan (00:08:44): "...whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many."

Julie (00:08:58): In God's eyes, Jesus is the highest status individual who ever walked the earth. Yet, what was he doing? He was serving. He wasn't seeking his own will. His status level was so high because his self-will level was so low.

Rick (00:09:13): I like the way you said that: he was the highest-status individual who ever walked the earth. When we talk about seeking social status, seeking that "look at me, look at me," really the ultimate comparison is to Jesus. And what did he do? He was one who served. We're going to see this theme just blossom as we walk through this discussion on the social status game that we all seem to play. All of this coming from Jesus, who just like you said, Julie, who by example, never sought status. Now he had it, but he never sought it. On the contrary, when he was with God at the beginning, long before time was time, he went in the opposite direction. Why? In order to seek humble service. There's a massive equation here that we need to get our heads around. Philippians 2:5-8 helps us to understand this approach from Jesus:

Jonathan (00:10:21): "Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although he existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a bondservant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross."

Rick (00:10:47): In his pre-human existence, Jesus was as high as high could be at the right hand of God, and yet he emptied himself of that to become a man. And then he emptied himself of that perfect humanity to die on the cross. You can see that the way Jesus received status was to give it all away, again and again. Why? Because he was doing the will of his Father. Now let's take that as a basis and let's look at the opposite. This is diametrically opposed to what Lucifer did as he sought the highest status that ever existed. And we're all familiar with the scripture, the prophetic view of Lucifer (Satan) in Isaiah 14:13-14:

Jonathan (00:11:35): "But you said in your heart, I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit on the mount of assembly in the recesses of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High." Wow.

Julie (00:11:51): One reduced to nothingness, and the other raised himself up with ego. Getting back to modern day, let's talk a little bit more about influencers. They can be categorized by content they produce. There's bloggers, YouTubers, podcasters and those who create posts on social media. Interestingly, Christian Questions is an influencer in all four of these areas. We've got a blog for every episode on our website, we post videos on YouTube, we podcast and we have a very engaged social media following. We provide specialized expertise in Bible study to a dedicated audience and encourage them to "like," "follow" and "share." So Rick, how does CQ being right in the middle of all these admonitions and all these woes fit in? Are we saying having influence or being an influencer is bad or unscriptural?

Rick (00:12:42): Good question. The answer is no. We should be influencers. However, pause and consider here. This is a "selah" moment. We should be influencers, but in the appropriate manner with the appropriate attitude about the appropriate things. That's what this episode really is all about; how influence should work amongst Christians. How do we know how it should work? We go to the Bible. It's not our figuring this out, it's our reading the scriptures and applying it to our lives. So yes, influence is a positive and powerful thing, but only, only used for good if it's done in the appropriate way. There's a lot to be said, so stay tuned as we develop this as we go. Jonathan, the Sinful Side Effects of Status Seeking; let's get started with that:

Jonathan (00:13:35): Status brings influence, but what kind of influence? Is it transformative influence or transitory influence? Is it positive at all levels or perilous at all turns? Does it have righteous and redeeming value or does it bring destructive and demeaning results?

Rick (00:13:55): We've got to look at the influence and ask those questions. Where does that influence bring the influencer and those that they influence? That's the big question. When it comes to status, there can be no greater contrast than the humility of Jesus' pre-human existence compared to the pride and ego of Lucifer.

Jonathan (00:14:21): How well did Jesus's three examples of what seeking the kingdom of God looks like take hold in the thoughts and actions of his twelve apostles?

Rick (00:14:31): There's nothing like looking at immediate responses to a new way of thinking to see just how difficult that new approach will be. Because status seeking was and is so thoroughly ingrained in sinful human nature and society, the apostles (because we're looking at the New Testament) were the first ones in line for continual discipline and correction.

Jonathan (00:14:59): Status seeking is definitely engaged in today's society too, Rick. Wanting to be at the top with everyone admiring you and hanging onto every word you say wouldn't have been foreign to ancient civilizations. It's just possible now for any individual in any way we couldn't have dreamed of even a decade ago.

Julie (00:15:21): We can all be the king, right? Yeah, everybody can look up to us. Advertisers who pay to get their message out through influencers divide them into categories based on the size of the influencer's audience. The two types at the top are the mega influencers. These have over a million followers on at least one social platform. Think about celebrities, movie stars, sports figures, musicians; they can charge up to $1 million per post on social media and have agents working on their behalf to make any marketing deals. Another way influencers of all levels get paid is more than half of the brands working with influencers have e-commerce stores. Influencers link their audience to that store and they get commissions on what's sold. So we have mega influencers and then there's macro influencers. They've got followers of between a half a million and a million. They're usually B-grade celebrities or successful online experts, but they might get just suddenly famous for starting one TikTok challenge. It's a really bizarre time to live. We have mega and macro so far and we're going to talk about more as we go on.

Rick (00:16:28): Yeah, and you're right, it's bizarre, because this is because of technology. This would not have been even remotely possible if we didn't have this worldwide instantaneous connectivity. It really is a bizarre time. To combat that, to confront it, to deal with it, let's go back to Jesus. Jesus confronted status seeking with his disciples many, many times, in many ways. We're going to look at, in this segment, we're going to look at three examples of him confronting status seeking with his disciples, with the twelve apostles specifically. The first example is in Mark 9:31-37. Let's get started with that:

Jonathan (00:17:11): "For he was teaching his disciples and telling them, the Son of Man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he has been killed, he will rise three days later."

Julie (00:17:24): Whoa! Jesus had just plainly revealed the most dramatic truth of his entire three-year ministry. He'll be captured, killed, and resurrected in three days. How would they respond to this shocking reveal?

Jonathan (00:17:37): Continuing: "But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask him." They didn't understand, so they just ignored it?

Rick (00:17:48): Yes, they just ignored it. So a little bit of time goes on and let's go to the next verse and see where their minds went. Let's start with 33-34:

Jonathan (00:17:59): "They came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house, he began to question them, What were you discussing on the way? But they kept silent, for on the way they had discussed with one another which of them was the greatest."

Rick (00:18:11): That's an interesting twist of things, isn't it? You just hear this drama about Jesus saying, "I'm going to be crucified, I'm going to be killed. I'm going to rise three days later." You hear this drama and they're talking about who's going to be the greatest. Jesus undoubtedly knew what their conversation had been and that's why he asked, "Hey, what were you guys talking about?" His approach, he was going to deal with it, and his approach, let's notice his approach. It was going to be gentle and yet firm. Let's go to 35-37:

Jonathan (00:18:40): "Sitting down, he called the twelve and said to them, If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all, and servant of all. Taking a child, he set him before them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, Whoever receives one child like this in my name receives me; and whoever receives me does not receive me, but Him who sent me." Matthew 18:3 adds "to be like a small child."

Rick (00:19:10): It's not just receiving a child, but in Matthew, the same account, it says "You need to be like a small child." It's the idea of receiving that child and being like a child. Why a child? Jonathan, you got us started with the child aspect previously, but there's another dimension here, because aside from being teachable, children held no status. They held no ranking amongst the people. They played no role in the pecking order of social standing. So what's Jesus' point? Greatness is not to be our focus or concern, because that's what they were talking about, who's going to be greatest. Right after he told them about his incredible sacrifice, that's where their minds ended up going. It's not greatness that should be our focus or concern. It should be to wholeheartedly embrace being without status. That's what being like a child encompassed. Children were just the additional people, little people running around. They didn't affect anything. So Jesus is helping them understand; embrace being without status. That's the first example of Jesus dealing with status seeking amongst the apostles. Let's go to our second example. In this second example, Jesus and the twelve were journeying towards Jerusalem for the very last time. They would arrive there and this would be his last entry into Jerusalem. He would be crucified after this. Here's what happens, Matthew 20:27-28:

Jonathan (00:20:46): "...He took the twelve disciples aside by themselves, and on the way he said to them, Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and will hand him over to the Gentiles to mock and scourge and crucify him, and on the third day he will be raised up."

Julie (00:21:08): Here we go again. He's telling them the most dramatic truth of his ministry. "Here's exactly where we're headed and the horrific events that'll happen to me." You'd think they'd be like, oh no, how can we help you? What should we do? But apparently, again, they ignored it because we have nothing more recorded.

Jonathan (00:21:25): The very next words of Matthew are this, starting with Matthew 20:20: "Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee (James and John, the sons of thunder) came to Jesus with her sons, bowing down and making a request of him. And he said to her, What do you wish? She said to him, Command that in your kingdom these two sons of mine may sit one at your right and one at your left. But Jesus answered, You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink? They said to him, We are able. He said to them, My cup you shall drink; but to sit on my right and on my left, this is not mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."

Rick (00:22:11): Again, we see a very similar account unfolding; the revealing of something very difficult and traumatic, and the minds of the apostles going in a different direction. Now this is a little bit unique because you got the mom of the sons of Zebedee coming to Jesus with the specific requests. "Lord, let my son sit one on your right, one on your left hand. Doesn't matter which one's on which side. Just let one sit on your right and one sit on your left." And Jesus' response to that is, "Are you sure you know what you're asking?" There's an earning process, there's a faithfulness required for such positions. And they were like, "Yeah, no, no, we can do it." And he says, "Oh yeah, well you're going to experience it." But he also says that "I can't give you that. It is not mine to give." What a powerful lesson! Jesus wasn't about handing out status. That was left to God his Father, not for him. We get this gentle but pointed answer. The lesson here is we are not called to be status seekers. Well, this could be the end of the story, but oh no, no, no, it's not. There's more to this. Let's pick up with Matthew 20:24-28:

Jonathan (00:23:28): "And hearing this, the ten became indignant with the two brothers."

Julie (00:23:32): Oh, those ten are probably thinking "Rats! They asked before we could! Now they're going to get the best spot. And they're even having their mom ask!"

Jonathan (00:23:42): Continuing: "But Jesus called them to himself and said, You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many." Jesus is saying, "Don't seek status; seek to serve." If we are honest with ourselves, we are all just redeemed beings. The redemption that came to us because of Jesus' sacrifice wasn't because we deserved it. It was purely a gift, just like it will be for the entire world of mankind in the kingdom.

Rick (00:24:30): Again, you see this unfold and whenever we're seeing the apostles having these internal debates about greatness, we're seeing the context teach us the most important things. Now look, I want to be clear. We are not picking on the twelve apostles. They are the twelve foundations of all of the kingdom of God. What we're looking at, though, is their humanness, their propensity to only see so far and to have that sense of "What's in it for me? Well, I'm here. That must mean I can be there. Ha ha." You know, you get this sense. What this is telling us is we've got to be so careful. I love the way Jesus approached this. He was gentle, he was clear. He said, "You want to be great, then you serve." He said, "I came not to be great. I came to serve. You're walking in my footsteps. You also should be coming to serve." The third example--now we're down to it. It's in the upper room. This is the night before his crucifixion. They're in the upper room. Jesus has already washed their feet and he's already demonstrated the kind of servitude that their calling would require. Jesus again had just mentioned that he would be betrayed. He's mentioning to this small group that he's going to be betrayed and you think, "What's the response going to be?" Well, let's look at Luke 22:24-33. Let's start with 24-26:

Jonathan (00:26:08): "And there arose also a dispute among them as to which one of them was regarded to be greatest. And he said to them, The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called Benefactors. But it is not this way with you, but the one who is greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant."

Julie (00:26:30): The default of imperfect humanity is to be fixated on self. They didn't know any different. They are learning a radical new way of thinking and behaving from the master. Of course in turn we're thankful that we can learn that same lesson. He didn't rebuke them. As you said Rick, he gives this gentle but firm answer, "Seek service. Seek a life of the one least noticed by your fellow man."

Jonathan (00:26:56): Jesus continues: "For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves."

Rick (00:27:08): What's Jesus saying? He's saying, "Be like me. I'm the one with status in God's eyes and I serve as one with no status." Think about that. "I'm the one with the status in God's eyes. I'm the one who hears the will of my Father and does it. I'm the one who's given God's power to do these miracles, to speak these words, to guide you to a kind of life that you never thought could possibly exist. I'm that guy. But here I am, I serve as one with no status. Why? Because that's the humility required before the heavenly Father." It's an amazing lesson for us to understand the incredible importance of our perspective on status seeking. Jesus now finally details some of their future status before God and not before men. So before we go onto the next verses, he's going to now tell them about their coming status; 28-30:

Jonathan (00:28:11): "You are those who have stood by me in my trials; and just as my Father has granted me a kingdom, I grant you that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel."

Rick (00:28:26): Finally they hear about the coming status, but you see how it had to come. It had to come through being like a child, being like a servant, washing feet, understanding that it's all about diminishing oneself for the sake of the will of God. With such an incredible promise before them, "Uou're going to be with me," this is Jesus speaking, his very next words are a stern warning toward courage. You see, Jesus always keeps things in perspective, and that's something that we've learned to really, really truly love and appreciate about his statusless approach to teaching. Jonathan, let's go to Luke 22:31-33:

Jonathan (00:29:10): "Simon, Simon (Peter), behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers. But he said to him, Lord, with you I am ready to go both to prison and to death!"

Rick (00:29:30): Of course, Jesus then tells Peter of his upcoming denial. It's always in perspective.

Julie (00:29:38): Peter had such zeal and love for Jesus and truly wanted to do the right thing. Sincere Christians today have that same desire, which is why at Christian Questions we try to reach people where they are. It's online. We can encourage others to be more Christlike, help them study the Bible more effectively, and even change their life through a screen. That's a heavy responsibility and we don't ever want to hear that "Woe to you" directed at us. We want to be a good Christian influence as all of the listeners do too, I'm sure.

Rick (00:30:09): That's the key. The key is what are you doing what you're doing for? What's the reason? Is it so, "Hey, look at me." Or is it so "Hey, look at Christ. Hey, look at the gospel, look at the good news of the good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people." That is where all status goes. That's where all status belongs. And Jesus gave us very clear examples throughout his words and his actions as to how to accomplish that. So Jonathan, Sinful Side Effects of Status Seeking; where are we?

Jonathan (00:30:45): Status seeking is a hard desire to crush. Just ask the apostles. We must always remember that true status is in the eyes of God and is reserved for those who are loyal to the cause of Christ. This should never be confused in any shape, manner, or form with the worldly status that humanity continually seeks.

Rick (00:31:07): These are two different things. They belong in two different camps and the two never the twain should meet. It's humbling to realize that we're called to such lofty privilege and yet we must let everything go to be even considered for that lofty privilege.

Jonathan (00:31:28): We saw the seriousness of the apostles' status-seeking issues. Do we have those same issues now as a Christian community?

Rick (00:31:37): Well, here's the bottom line. Sinful humanity doesn't get better over time. It gets worse. Our issues now can be just as troubling and in some ways even more troubling. A big issue with status seeking is the fallout on the other side of what we seek. It's sometimes not enough to seek higher and higher recognition. Along with that seeking, there may be the desire to crush those who would hinder or challenge it, to make them look foolish, to make them look undesirable, to make them look less than. So we have to be careful here.

Julie (00:32:10): That's a really good point, Rick, because there's something about having the power on one side and the anonymity of the little guy on the other side that seems to bring out the worst in human nature. As a society we build people up, but we sure love to see them fall and fall hard. It's not uncommon to hear about people being disgustingly mean to the point of having others commit suicide over what is said to them or about them.

Jonathan (00:32:35): Online hate and abuse is a real problem.

Julie (00:32:38): And staying on the top sometimes requires pushing others farther to the bottom. Satan loves a good rivalry because all sides can be corrupted. So far we've talked about these mega and macro influencers. The third category is a micro influencer. Now these are ordinary everyday people who have become known for their knowledge about some specialist niche. Usually they have between 10,000 and 50,000 followers on a single platform. But it's not just about the numbers; it's about their relationship and the interaction they have with their followers. Nearly half of all influencers are in this category. These micro influencers are becoming more and more famous. Some have risen from virtual obscurity to being nearly as well-known as traditional celebrities. Again, bizarre time we live in, but we need to be careful.

Rick (00:33:29): That's the reality, and you're right - it's bizarre. It's technology, and it takes an average person and puts them into a situation that they normally would never even dream of being in. That's where the competitiveness comes. That's where the crushing of the competition comes. Because what else are you supposed to do? This is a dangerous place to be. It's a dangerous place to be for the Christian community. So let's focus in on what Christianity as a unit should be looking at in terms of status seeking and in terms of influence. Sometimes our personal background can deeply skew our ability to see reality and that affects how we see ourselves approaching God. We see ourselves in a certain light and it tells a tale of how we continue. Good example of this was the parable that Jesus spoke in Luke 18:9-14:

Jonathan (00:34:26): "And he also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other tax collector. The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: God, I thank You that I am not like other people; swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get. But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, God, be merciful to me, the sinner! I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Rick (00:35:18): That shows you the difference between status seeking and godliness. There is a void in between the two and there's no way to go from one to the other. You can't mix them. You either have that humility or you don't. You have that pride that says, "Look at me." Who we think we are matters not when we go before God in prayer. You know why? We all must kneel in humility. That's the bottom line. And status within Christianity is a dangerous, dangerous aspect of living. We need to be aware. It's for this very reason that the call of Christ is often able to thrive among those who were never on a level of being special, or never a level of being privileged, or those singled-out individuals who had this or that going for them. This next scripture in 1 Corinthians helps us to understand a very important principle of what the call to Christianity really is all about. 1 Corinthians 1:25-30:

Jonathan (00:36:23): "Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For consider your calling, brethren, that there are not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God." God gets all the credit, not man, as it should be.

Rick (00:37:02): It's really that simple. That's why the apostle says many of us are nothing to write home about except for the fact that God is calling you, and that supersedes everything. It's God's eyes, God's decision, God's providence that we look for. Let's look at verse 30 to wrap this up:

Jonathan (00:37:27): "But by His doing, you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption."

Rick (00:37:37): Jesus became everything to us that could possibly ever bring anybody status. That's what it's saying. It's Jesus, from God. Not you. Sorry, hope you're not disappointed. It's nothing about you, it's nothing about me, it's all about them. That's where this is. Our status as Christians is as a result of all that has been given to us by grace and not by works, not by who I think I am.

Julie (00:38:06): Those scriptures you just read, Jonathan, in 1 Corinthians, of course they were written by the Apostle Paul. He was an extremely effective Christian influencer of his day. He was clear to say, "Follow me as I follow Christ." The main danger in following others is that we are supposed to be following Christ first and foremost. Today the young people in our lives are online. They are following people, they are searching social media for theological answers instead of what they would say, "IRL" (in real life). Even Christian influencers carefully curate what they post on social media, often blending worldly influence into Christianity so it seems cool, easy, popular, beautiful. But that's not really what following Christ is all about.

Jonathan (00:38:57): We don't seek what others are seeking. In John 15:18-19, Jesus warned that the world would hate us because we are not of the world, just like it hated him.

Julie (00:39:08): Exactly. Following Jesus and the sacrifice it requires should make us seem weird to the world. 2 Peter 2:9 in the King James version calls us "peculiar people." Are we peculiar?

Rick (00:39:22): Amen. Hopefully. That's the point. The point is to be different. The point is that the Christianity we display to others should be the Christianity in its raw, truest, most complete form. Nothing added, nothing subtracted, so that we see Christ in the message as we look at the body of Christ. Now let's get back to the Christian community. As we look at the body of Christ, we can see that there's a natural tugging of our fallen human nature within our Christian lives. These next verses really help us to understand the importance of everybody who was called to Christ learning to come together in the same way. And the Apostle Paul is brilliant as he addresses different approaches from our natural human lives to our Christianity. Jonathan, let's pick up with this and move forward.

Jonathan (00:40:16): If we come from a lesser background, our natural inclination is to see ourselves as lesser. 1 Corinthians 12:14-26, starting with 14-16: "For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot says, because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body, it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. And if the ear says, because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body, it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body."

Rick (00:40:47): You see what's happening. The foot says to the hand, "Well, I'm not good as good as you. I'm way down here. You're way up there, you get to do things. I just transport. I'm worthless." The ear says to the eye, because it's looking at something bigger, something better, something with greater "status" and saying, "I'm just not good." In this case, status seeking creates discouragement as we tend to minimize what we're called to do. The Apostle Paul brings this up and then he explains how damaging it is for any Christian to minimize their own contribution to this body of Christ. Let's go to verses 17-20:

Jonathan (00:41:27): "If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired (this is having appropriate status!). If they were all one member, where would the body be? But now there are many members, but one body."

Julie (00:41:49): This reminds me of our discussion about humility. If you're too humble, you're useless. And if you're not humble enough, you're useless. We all have a contribution to the whole, but there's a special balance. We don't want to minimize that God has called us, but we can't be the only body part. It's a body!

Rick (00:42:10): We must understand that we play a role. When you are a role player, it gives you tremendous value. Now, those of us who have less in terms of talent or opportunities, look at that and say, "Yeah, but..." No "Yeah but" about it! If you're there, you're there. The team needs you! The body needs you to complete its function. And so we've got this. Paul is encouraging those who look at themselves as lesser and says, "Don't do that. You are an important part of this whole thing." In the next example status seeking creates a self-aggrandizing and very destructive perspective. We had this self-minimizing perspective, and now Paul addresses it in a completely different way. Verse 21:

Jonathan (00:43:00): "And the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of you; or again the head to the feet, I have no need of you."

Rick (00:43:07): Paul is now using examples that are further away. It was an ear and an eye. Now it's the eye to the hand. And you can see that there's a dramatic difference. "I don't need you. I see. I see, the head to the feet. I am the source of all thought. What do I need you for?" It's this sense of self-gratification. Paul explains the damage, the absolute damage and destruction that comes when we assume a status that is not Christlike. Here's what he says after that example; 22-24:

Jonathan (00:43:43): "On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these, we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable, whereas our more presentable members have no need of it."

Rick (00:44:04): The apostle is turning the tables. "You think you're all that? Well guess what? You're not. You are merely a part of the body, blessed to play a role. Are you playing your role or are you busy minimizing others so you can get attention? And if you're doing that, maybe you're not in the body after all." This is a very, very important aspect of not being status seekers. Why is it set up this way? The Apostle Paul happens to have an answer for that as well. Continuing with 24-26:

Jonathan (00:44:40): "But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it."

Julie (00:44:59): There is an equality in Christ and mutual respect even if we each serve in different ways.

Rick (00:45:06): That's so important. A mutual respect, no matter what way the service is able to, by God's grace, come from us. There is no division, because there's no pecking order. There is no division because all are equal. There is no division because God puts us in the body as He sees fit and we're all equal members of that body. One more text on this, Galatians 3:27-29:

Jonathan (00:45:33): "For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourself with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to the promise."

Julie (00:45:51): I appreciate how, for example, women have the opportunity to serve God in honor, even though my role differs from that of men.

Jonathan (00:46:00): This brings to mind the Parable of the Pounds and (the Parable of the) Talents. Our faithfulness depends on what we are given and how we use it for the Lord. But we're also rewarded based on our love and devotion to God. I might be a one-talent person, but if I'm faithful to that talent, I receive a reward. That faithfulness is every bit as vital as the faithfulness of the five-talent person. Status is removed from everything. It's just about how we are seen in the eyes of God.

Rick (00:46:29): That's such an important thing. In our status seeking society and social media, we need to understand as Christians, that's not for us. As a Christian community, we are not about seeking status. We're about seeking to honor and praise God with every word, with every thought, with every action of our lives. The Sinful Side Effects of Status Seeking; Jonathan, what do we have now?

Jonathan (00:46:55): Status seeking within true Christianity is an unwelcome intruder. It has no place, it has no purpose and it has no value. Our only status is being in Christ, and our status is only in the eyes of God, our Father, and by His choosing. Any efforts to elevate or demean any of the brotherhood are damaging and need to be rectified.

Julie (00:47:21): This is especially serious in that anything that takes our focus away from God is an idol. So are we creating little idols out of money, power or appearance? Acquiring possessions or influencing others? Is influencing others or being influenced by others taking up too much of our focus? Or is it affecting our ego or how we treat others? The prophet Isaiah in 44:9, he summed it up well, "How foolish are those who manufacture idols. These prized objects are really worthless. The people who worship idols do not know this, so they are all put to shame."

Rick (00:47:53): And what we will find is that in the resurrection, in the kingdom of God, all of the status of all of the influence of this age will all be worthless. It really, really will because it is all idolatry. It's putting the created before the creator. We need to be on the alert. Status seeking truly has no home within real Christian fellowship. To be forewarned on this is to be forearmed.

Jonathan (00:48:20): What should I be personally doing to avoid any status seeking setbacks in my own daily Christian experience?

Rick (00:48:29): This is an important question, as we all do fill varied roles and carry varied amounts of influence inside and outside of our Christian fellowship. Because influence is not only present but important, we need to know how to wield its responsibility without having it quietly turn into a tool of status seeking and status keeping. So we want to focus in on the power of appropriate Christian influence.

Julie (00:49:06): The last type of influencer is called the nano influencer. They have less than a thousand followers. They're usually an expert in some obscure or highly specialized field, but their followers are very engaged and will listen to the opinions of the influencer. In a positive way, we're all influencers. Everything we do and say has a ripple effect in the lives of others, and we are not supposed to put our light under a bushel. We are supposed to spread the message of the gospel, using words if necessary. How do we do this in a God-honoring way?

Rick (00:49:40): That's an important question. We're going to suggest four points to look at in our personal Christian lives, to be influencers for Christ in a godly way with a godly message. And the first point is really simple. We must establish ourselves as servants. Now, if you haven't gotten that message by now, you haven't been listening, okay? Establish ourselves as servants. Let's remember Jesus and his example, and let's look at his example of washing the apostles feet in John 13:12-17:

Jonathan (00:50:13): "So when he had washed their feet, and taken his garments and reclined at the table again, he said to them, Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. If I then, the Lord and Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I gave you an example that you should also do as I did to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them." No one thought to do this in the time his life was hanging in the balance?

Rick (00:50:54): No one did. No one did. So he took the opportunity and taught them the value of being the one who's always willing to serve. Jesus, the greatest influencer the world will ever see, showed us that his influence came through service, humble service. His message was for our influence to only be delivered in precisely the same way.

Julie (00:51:22): This is especially important if we find ourselves in the position to be a spiritual mentor to others, especially young people. Technology isn't a replacement for the guidance of an in-person relationship that will help with accountability and vulnerability. I found a great quote by Stephen Covey, "Once you've found your own voice, the choice to expand your influence, to increase your contribution, is the choice to inspire others to find their voice."

Rick (00:51:51): That's the key, to pass on what we have been given as Christians. So our first point: establish ourselves as servants. The second point: we must intentionally maintain our servanthood. That word "intentionally" is there for a reason. It has to be thought out. It has to be renewed and revitalized on a regular basis. Our whole being must be dedicated to this servanthood. As we look at these next scriptures, we want to understand the idea of influencers from a Christian perspective.

Jonathan (00:52:28): As we read Romans 12:9-17, think about it in relation to status seeking: "Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men." If this isn't blowing up status seeking, I don't know what is.

Julie (00:53:28): What an amazing list. Stop the idolatry and be service-oriented.

Rick (00:53:34): If we look at this list and folks, Romans 12:9-17, write that down, and keep that with you when you are tempted to try and be like the other influencers. Because if you listen to these things, ask yourself, "Those influencers that I may like and I may follow and all that, do they do any of these things? Are they devoted to one another in brotherly love? Do they give preference and honor to one another? Are they fervent in spirit? Are they persevering in tribulation? Are they devoted to prayer? Are they contributing to the needs of the saints? Are they practicing hospitality? You get the point. This is what we are supposed, this is how we influence. This is what Jesus was all about. Serve one another. When we see all of these admonitions in the light of having godly influence versus human status seeking, the need for a holistic approach to character development is very glaringly evident.

Julie (00:54:33): One more great quote, this one by Albert Schweitzer; "Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It's the only thing."

Rick (00:54:42): It truly is. It's what we do. You can be very flowery in what you say, but what you do is what people follow. And that's how Jesus got done what he got done.

Julie (00:54:57): And we influence others for Christ, not ourselves. I think of it as being the one holding the flashlight. Jesus is the light, but I can be the one to help shine that light into dark corners.

Rick (00:55:07): What a great opportunity that is! Just remember, it's not your light, but you get to hold it. That's really, really cool. Establish ourselves as servants, intentionally maintain our servanthood--the third point; we must consciously seek to be status-free in what we see. Now, those first two points were about the internal. This is about how we perceive those around us. This is every bit as important. Jonathan, James 2:1-6:

Jonathan (00:55:37): "My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism." Whoa! Mic drop!

Rick (00:55:47): Yeah, yeah. There you go.

Jonathan (00:55:48): "For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes, and you pay attention to the one who was wearing the fine clothes, and say, You sit here in a good place, and you say to the poor man, You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool, have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives?"

Rick (00:56:14): Influencing; how are we doing with that? Do we fall into this category, what James is describing? Let's be honest, let's be honest, as we look at ourselves, don't look at others, look at ourselves. Is my influence at all ever driven by the outward appearance? If it is, James is saying, "This is evil motives." This is a wake-up call for us. Jonathan, let's go to 5-6:

Jonathan (00:56:40): "Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court?"

Rick (00:56:57): This honoring and dishonoring, James is saying, stop looking at the outward appearance. Begin to see the heart because that is what we're called to do. Our influence should be driven by seeing the heart, not what's on the outside, but what is absolutely on the inside.

Julie (00:57:20): John D Rockefeller was the founder of Standard Oil Company. He was the first billionaire in the United States, and once the richest man on earth. He was asked by a reporter, "How much money is enough?" And he calmly replied, "Just a little bit more."

Rick (00:57:35): Okay then.

Julie (00:57:37): That sums up our influencing social life, unfortunately. "Just a little bit more," right? Nothing is ever enough.

Rick (00:57:44): Right. Jesus has told us, has showed us by his example to us exactly the opposite. When it comes to being a godly influencer, looks can be very deceiving. Our responses to what we see can have dramatic ripple effects either for a godly good cause or a humanly depraved result. Folks, make no mistake; if we get involved in social status and influencing in the way the world does it, good does not come from that. It doesn't. It takes away from the humanness of everybody involved. We want to put this back in order. So we have establishing ourselves as servants, intentionally maintaining that servanthood, consciously seeking to be status free as we look at others. The fourth point; be an influencer, but only through grace and strength that is received from above. Only through grace and strength that's received from above. Galatians 6:1-5:

Jonathan (00:58:46): "Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another. For each one will bear his own load."

Julie (00:59:18): In other words, don't take credit that belongs to God. Everything we have, everything we are, and everything we can be is because of God.

Rick (00:59:25): And this idea of bearing one another's burdens, "you which are spiritual, help and restore one, but be on your guard lest you also be tempted." That's not necessarily you'd be tempted with the same sin that they're tempted with, but you're tempted with the sin of, "Hey, it's all about me. Look at me rescue them. Look at me be this icon," if you will. That is a very dangerous place to be. That's why this talks about examining our own work and really being careful because our influence must come from God through Christ, by His spirit. We must stay out of the way. Just a real quick personal experience; in my experience, and I've had wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful privileges of talking with lots of those of the brotherhood with all kinds of different issues and things. I will tell you to be very bluntly honest, the one thing that I continually pray about because it's a challenge, is I continually pray "Lord, help me stay out of Your way. Just help me stay out of Your way. Just please get me out of Your way and let Your will come through me, not stop in me, and then me reinterpret it." Folks, I am telling you that the status belongs to God the Father, through His spirit. The influence comes from Him. When we take that influence and and give it to others, then there can be something of great, great value. To reach out and help others who are in need is a major method of godly influence. But to do so without humble consideration of one's own vulnerabilities, that's a major misstep. Let us seek to be influencers in the highest, most godly way we can. Jonathan, finally, Sinful Side Effects of Status Seeking:

Jonathan (01:01:17): We of all people are most privileged, for we have been drawn to God through Christ. This means we walk in Jesus's footsteps and that means that all we accomplish, and all with whom we have influence is for the glory of God. Let us never forget that status seeking and being human influencers are worldly things which we have left behind. When we wrap up our Christian walk, what's the conclusion? What is the inventory? What do we have? Our character. Did we lead a God-honoring life? Were we selfless or selfish? How much did we leave behind? The Apostle Paul said, "Forget those things which are behind," and he had quite the status and influence, yet he called it worthless.

Rick (01:02:06): What is worthwhile? What is worthwhile, friends, is to understand that it's God's will in God's way according to God's word. Let us simply be tools in the hand of the Father through Christ and give that influence to each and every person around us, whether it be through words or actions. Let us be influencers only for Christ and let God and His spirit do the rest. Think about it. Folks, we do love hearing from our listeners. We welcome your feedback and your questions on this episode and other episodes at ChristianQuestions.com. Coming up in our next episode, "How Can I Transform My Prayer Life? (Part I)" Talk to you then.

Final Notes (01:02:54): copyright @2023 Christian Questions. In addition to this transcript, we provide comprehensive CQ Rewind Show Notes for every episode. They include every scripture quoted during the podcast, as well as graphics, illustrations and bonus material. Click the "CQ Rewind Show Notes" button near the audio player or sign up to receive these weekly at ChristianQuestions.com. This transcript was created using artificial intelligence. While we believe it to be accurate, we apologize for any errors that may exist.