HOW TO LOVE IN AN AGE OF SELF-PROMOTION

From American Idol to reality shows to YouTube to Facebook, the culture has provided us so many opportunities to flaunt ourselves. We can work to earn our “big break” or we can tell everyone in our sphere of influence about the great things we are doing. This is a worldly tendency, but we can tend to do this with our Christian friends as quickly as we do those in the world. But, have we stopped to consider that such self-promotion is unloving?

Paul, defining love in 1 Corinthians 13, tells us three things love either is not or does not do. It does not brag, is not arrogant, and does not seek its own (4-5). Whether we may be tempted or driven by insecurity or feelings of inadequacy, narcissism, or a need for the praise and recognition of others, we fail to love when we try to turn the spotlight on ourselves. It may even be through vaunting our spouse, our children, or our parents. But, it often sounds like, “Look at me, look at us, who we are, what we’ve done, or how good, smart, talented, and better we are.” It may be craving credit for an idea or effort. Yet, these can easily become exercises in self-promotion.

Love tempers success with a realization that God is the One who gives us the resources to do anything. Love would prefer turning the spotlight on the good others do. Love has a well-balanced view of self, knowing that we have worth through Christ but that He is the One who deserves the glory. Love hesitates to read his or her own “press clippings.”

When we practice love as Paul defines it, this genuine humility will stand out in a world of people shouting, “Look at me!” This perspective allows one to step behind the cross, lift up Christ, and let the world see what He has done! It also has confidence that the Lord will reward us openly some day for serving Him without fanfare in humility (cf. 1 Tim. 5:25; Matt. 6:1ff).

–Neal Pollard