He sat with his eyes closed listening to my two-song demo while I eyed the platinum and gold records on the walls. When the music stopped he pitched – slow and over the plate.
“I want to make you an icon,” he said. “It’s our job to make you famous, your voice, your songs, your face, that haircut.”
Who doesn’t have a needy little passed-over gremlin living in their heart just itching for a little fame?
I didn’t sign with his label, but that didn’t stop the itch.
Since then, I’ve often wondered if fame of any small degree, even if not the aim, undermines the character of Christ in me. Humility, for instance.
Fame exalts the individual.
Humility buries the individual in Christ and His faceless community.
The Amish see public recognition of any kind as a form of boasting. By accepting it the Amish believe we’re asking for it, asking society for admiration. Dom Helder Camara wrote that “if we get much praise, it is a sign that we are opaque, visible instead of transparent.
Fame is a constant reminder of ourselves.
Humility is unselfconsciousness, forgetting all about ourselves.
One Anabaptist theologian says that the number of mirrors in a society indicates that culture’s attachment to self. No surprise that in many Mennonite communities there are few, if any, mirrors. Madeleine L’Engle wrote: “Humility is the act of throwing oneself away in complete concentration on something or someone else.”
Fame is the result of comparison, being prettier, wealthier, more talented, smarter.
Humility is refusing the comparison to others, being indifferent or oblivious to how we stack up.
C.S. Lewis argued that when competition is removed all that remains is a humble assessment of great and small abilities.
Fame is often strived for, worked at, plotted for and once achieved, a struggle to maintain and defend.
Humility lets go.
One theologian says that “Christian humility is the voluntary letting go of coercive power in a way that reflects the very character of God.”
Fame moves others to serve us.
Humility moves us to serve others.
James warned us about partiality. When we’re partial to a person over another because of their status, he asks, “Have you not become judges with evil thoughts?” (James 2:4)
I’ve tried to combat the appearance of fame-induced pride by doing the things I think will prove to you I’m humble: mocking myself, pointing out my mistakes when my successes are praised, for instance, but…
Humility claimed is pride renamed. Working so hard to make sure you know I’m humble, well, that comes from thinking about myself and caring an awful lot about what you think of me.
I spent the weekend singing in front of thousands of people at a festival – something I haven’t done in a few years. At times it was intoxicating. To hear thousands of people singing my songs back to me, applauding me, asking for my scribble on a scrap of paper or the back of their t-shirt. It made me want more. It made me want to buy some sunglasses and wear them indoors.
And now I know the gremlin with the itch is still in there.
Alan Johnston says:
i like it, a lot. thanks shaun, for being real.
Amber@theRunaMuck says:
Ooo – this is a good one. Thanks for all those quotes.
mandie says:
wow. this hits home.
stay transparent, shaun.
transparency is much more attractive (and needed) than fame.
Amy Storms says:
Wow, thank you so much for this. “Humility claimed is pride renamed.” Ouch.
Kathy Hickey says:
“Humility claimed is pride renamed.” That’s good, Shaun. I’m going to ponder that awhile.
Martin Lewis says:
Hey Shaun, this is a great post.
I’ve always thought about fame and wondered what it would be like, and definitely have wanted it.. a lot.
I once heard someone with definite “celeb” status say that they didn’t “feel” famous yet, you know, kinda like it was a drug that never satisfies.
I’ve always wondered if there’s something about us musicians (ie. creative types) that makes the drive for attention stronger.. I’ve noticed it petering out a bit over the years, but I know it’s there.
“Humility claimed is pride renamed”, great reminder.
And seriously, we won’t slag ya for wearing sunglasses indoors.
Marty
Princess Leia says:
I can’t find the exact quote right now, but someplace or other C.S. Lewis says something to the effect of: Pride is the most insidious of sins. The moment we realize that we are not being proud – the moment that we begin to congratulate ourselves for our humility – is the moment that pride begins to sneak back in.
And a direct quote from _Mere_Christianity_: “[The truly humble man] will not be thinking about humility: he will not be thinking about himself at all.” (http://www.philosophyforlife.com/mc18.htm)
Pride’s hard enough to fight when you’re a ‘nobody.’ Add fame to the mix and it must be a constant battle. I wonder if that’s why so many of our “superstars” fall?
Christina Egner says:
Speaking of “Jesus Christ Superstar”, that is one show we try to go see every year. LOVE IT!
How’s that for getting way off subject? lol
Steve Thomas says:
Good writing Shaun. I don’t believe that in Christ we join a “faceless community”, but I do believe that in Christ we can embrace our uniqueness yet remain humble in our expression of such. A great leader, Jay Kesler, once told me, “The best way to know if you’re a good servant is if people start treating you like one.” Eating the humbling fruit of servanthood presses one’s head down to the foot of the cross where Christ lifts it up again and smiles. In Mere Christianity CS Lewis says, “The Christians are right: it is Pride which has been the chief cause of misery in every nation and every family since the world began.”
Well done. Keep it coming.
swt
Bernard Shuford says:
Spot on, Shaun. Although bragging about how good your post on humility is might kinda defeat the purpose, too…
Another fraught danger for us Christians is the new “cool” of being transparent about our sin. It’s almost become a badge of pride that we reveal more of our sin than the next guy does. If he’s not comfortable talking about his sin, even though it’s trivial compared to mine, we demonize him into being a worse sinner than we are.
Not cool.
Great post. But don’t get all, well, swell-headed or anything. Even though I do think you’re a great guy and a lot of Christians can learn a lot from you. Keep it right. (That’s my new take on “keep it real”, no offense to Carlos Whittaker intended).
Meredith Dunn says:
dang… I needed that and I really hate that I needed that. Thank you for the gentle slap in the face.
Jenni Hypes says:
Thanks, Shaun! Excellent points that we all need to let settle in us.
Josh says:
good, good, good stuff….dangit. That’s all I’ll say. ๐
Kelli says:
Others have said it – I’ll repeat…
Dang!
That was good.
pcg says:
Shaun,
As one of those “thousands of people at a festival” last weekend, let me just say that your blog writing is as refreshingly honest as your songwriting. Your main stage set was one of our family’s favorite moments of the weekend (with your Sunday night set pretty high up there too!) and I pray that you can continue to find true humility among your success. Because, well, your voice is worth having around!
Peter
Lori @ The Davidson Den says:
I know that gremlin very well. It is a constant struggle keeping “it” under control, especially when well-meaning people praise me for singing well. I even struggle with what to pray about BEFORE I’m about to sing. Because I really want to do well. For lots of reasons. And some of them are very good and noble reasons. It’s just that the gremlin’s need for attention is always there, too. It’s always a reason in the mix. I’ve never learned how to completely ignore it.
This was a very thought-provoking post. Thanks for sharing!!
whimzie says:
Yep.
Robin ~ PENSIEVE says:
I’m trying to think of how to express myself without blowing excessive air up your skirt; easier said than done.
I’ve kept this post open in a tab forEVAH, loving the title, wondering where you’d go with it. No idea why it took me so long to read, it’s not that it’s so long or anything.
Anyways, maybe it’s okay to admit that this is the kinda writing of yours that makes me wanna be more like Jesus, not more like Shaun Groves. You’ve painted with words one of the greatest inner struggles of man, and for those who are His babies, it resonates. Loudly.
“Humility claimed is pride renamed.” <– nailed it.