Fame

I'm gonna live forever! Baby, remember my name...

I had a disturbing conversation with my daughter last week. I asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up. She said famous.

So I asked some more questions. Would it be good to be famous for a year and then have no one remember you? No, that would be sad, she responded.

When I asked her the good parts of being famous, she said she would have fans.

I went on to illuminate some of the bad things about being famous...not knowing who likes you for who you are and who likes your fame. Not being able to go where you want without being bothered. Not having privacy.

I'm not sure that she was affected at all by the conversation.

The problem is...fame is this huge draw in our culture. Even I want to be famous occasionally...or maybe a little more often than that.

What does fame bring that draws our attention? Why is it so important to us? It isn't just the wealth. Somehow we all have a desire to be known. A desire to be appreciated. And our culture has magnified that into this huge monstrosity.

And is it important what we are famous for? I'd rather not be (in)famous for something horrific. I don't really want 15 minutes of fame, either. I want to make a difference for Christ. If I'm gonna be famous for something else, I think I'll just pass.

Maybe its about making a lasting difference. We don't need to be famous to leave a legacy that goes beyond ourselves. We don't have to be famous to be important or change someone's life.

If it's about living forever...I've already got that. I am all set!