Question 1

Is it okay for me to want to be popular?

Accepted Answer

John 2:23-25Because of the miraculous signs Jesus did in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration, many began to trust in him. But Jesus didn’t trust them, because he knew all about people. No one needed to tell him about human nature, for he knew what was in each person’s heart.John 12:42-43Many people did believe in him [Jesus], however, including some of the Jewish leaders. But they wouldn’t admit it for fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue. For they loved human praise more than the praise of God.It’s not wrong for us to want others to like us—this is a natural human desire. The problem occurs when we are willing to compromise our values to get other people’s approval. Popularity is fleeting; the person who was popular yesterday can easily be replaced by the next person who seems cooler or funnier. Jesus saw this firsthand. The crowds that adored him one Sunday called for his crucifixion less than a week later. Honor God and show love to everyone—you will be far more content, and others will admire you as well.Galatians 1:10Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.The Bible cautions us to be careful about our motives for being popular. When we try to please people more than God, we will likely fail to serve him well and our priorities will quickly become misplaced. We need to realize that if we are committed to following Jesus, there will be people in this world who reject us.

Question 2

How should I respond to someone else’s popularity?

Accepted Answer

John 1:26-27John told them, “I baptize with water, but right here in the crowd is someone you do not recognize. Though his ministry follows mine, I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandal.”John 3:26So John’s disciples came to him and said, “Rabbi, the man you met on the other side of the Jordan River, the one you identified as the Messiah, is also baptizing people. And everybody is going to him instead of coming to us.”John the Baptist’s disciples became jealous when Jesus began baptizing more people than John. By contrast, John understood that his job was to prepare the people for Jesus, and he did not worry about his own popularity.

Question 3

What are some traps that a desire for popularity might lead us into?

Accepted Answer

Esther 3:2All the king’s officials would bow down before Haman to show him respect whenever he passed by, for so the king had commanded. But Mordecai refused to bow down or show him respect.We should avoid seeking popularity when it causes us to disown or disobey God.John 12:42-43Many people did believe in him [Jesus], however, including some of the Jewish leaders. But they wouldn’t admit it for fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue. For they loved human praise more than the praise of God.We should avoid seeking popularity when we realize our love for popularity is greater than our love for God.Matthew 9:9-13As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him. Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?” When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.” Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”We should avoid seeking popularity that causes us to reject other people whom God loves and wants to help. Jesus simply cared for needy people, whether that made him popular or not. They wanted to be with him, and he chose to be with them.