Celebrated Not Tolerated

Mention the term "peer pressure" around a group of adults and the discussion gets redirected quickly to school age children. During the adolescent stages of one's life, when most things are very confused, the prospect of being the outcast and ostracized is too much. What to do? Fit in. Somehow. You focus on those who have the notoriety. Cheerleaders, football players, etc. Maybe someone who always seems to get a lot of attention. At that stage, we don't really concern ourselves with what kind of attention these people are getting but we do know they're getting it and we want some. For it is true; We come to be celebrated and not merely tolerated.

For the most part, we humans are a social group. We seem to function best when our efforts are being recognized by others. Especially those we have developed admiration for. How many of us, truthfully, would sit here day after day writing Hub Pages only to find that, day after day, we're getting no followers, no fans and no pageviews. We love it when we see new comments, fan mail and yes, followers. People who like what I do!

We instantly get a newfound feeling of motivation.

I know I do. When I wrote my very first Hub, I went back to do some stuff and when I returned? I had a follower! I had Fanmail! I even had a comment or two! You can't buy that feeling and I don't ever want to get so jaded that it doesn't matter. We come to be celebrated and not merely tolerated. The "Invisible Man Complex" may not exist by name in any psych manuals, but when you feel that nothing you say or do matters or is even recognized by anyone, where do you go from there?

Who are you living for, anyway? Why are you doing this?

Answer both questions honestly and objectively.

Sometimes, our convictions and faith lead us to be "A Majority of One." Three Dog Night said it so well many years ago. "One is the loneliest number that we'll ever do. . ." The story of Elijah on Mount Carmel (I Kings 18) is a compelling story of one man who answered a question for many of us. "How far will I go for God?" It truly does get lonely at the top. Especially when you're being ridiculed for your beliefs and even experience threats to your physical being. You know you don't fit in with the masses. Those at work no longer include you. On the corporate level, we know this means not getting invited to parties which could lead to promotions and recognition by those who could do wonders for your career. But, your convictions and obedience to God won't allow it. So, you do the Cinderella thing, staying home while the others are out having a great old time.

You start wondering if this "Majority of One" thing is really worth it. Let's keep it real here.

It sucks, sometimes. We're broke. They have money. They have nice cars. I ride the city bus. John just bought a beautiful new dress and matching shoes for his wife. Yesterday, I found pants that fit in the donation bin at church. What was it about blessings?

The Son of Man Himself was homeless, so who are we to whine about what we don't have?

I know that truthfully, if I sat here day by day and saw nothing in terms of recognition, I would have to get over myself and realize the true reason I started doing it in the first place. To give honor to God. To make the attempt at least to tell others what He'd done for me and for my wife. If and when people do drop by, I truly get excited. Somebody somewhere read something I wrote and maybe, just maybe, it might be a blessing to them as their writing has truly been a blessing for me.

This Christmas, as with all others, the homeless will find a Christian welcome from us.