We have it all wrong in our culture. We have falsely assumed that the better known we are; the more exposure we have; the bigger the platform we develop that we will live a better life. If that were so, Jesus would have told us to expand our world, make ourselves known and be stand-outs in the crowds. What has happened is that in the world of technology and instant fame, now everyone can have a voice and everyone try to have influence—no matter what kind of influence it is. When you look through the men and women formed through time, faith and God’s hands, we notice a different way about going about our lives. God allowed Joseph to spend years in prison when falsely accused. God wanted Paul right after his conversion to go to into the arid desert of Arabia for three long years. In the hidden places, the obscure places and the isolated places where we live our lives, God is at work. This is an important fact that we cannot neglect or ignore in life. God wants long seasons of development; long times of character forming; long periods where he can teach us, form us and shape our heart. Our heart is shaped more in times of isolation and obscurity than at any other times in our lives. It was in prison where Paul wrote many letters of the New Testament—not preaching in big cities. God used his obscured voice muffled by prison bars to elevate his platform. Jesus spent 30 years in obscurity and only 36 brief months in the public’s eye. Something happened in the soul of Jesus while being formed in hidden places that could not and would not be formed with him in the spotlight. This has major implications for people who serve on a team and not the Chairman; people who are assistants and not the President; people who are vice presidents rather than the one who gets the credit early, frequently and often! In this world of social media rage, instant availability and huge ways to gain influence quickly, we must remember this important point: A shallow life is not a life we are impressed with. A voice not seasoned by times of pain is not a voice that has authority. A platform built by social media rather than the important planks of character, integrity and truth will not endure the tests of time. Think on this important verse and discuss it with a friend today over coffee or lunch: “Be content with obscurity, like Christ.” --Colossians 3:4 ------------------------------------- This entry is drawn from my chapter in The Jesus Life on The Way of Hiddenness, which is Chapter 4 in the book. I am receiving such wonderful feedback about this chapter in particular.
