“Some of the parts that seem least important are . . most necessary.” 1 Corinthians 12:22 NLT
“Our culture fails to differentiate between prominence and importance.”
My thoughts today are about “importance.”
Our world has a mistaken idea about importance. A person may have a high profile because of publicity, celebrity, or popularity and people assume that is proof they are more important than others of lesser profile; but are they really? A person can achieve notoriety without being particularly notable. Lady Gaga has notoriety, but would probably not be considered notable in the same sense as some other great performers, past and present.
Andy Warhol, the iconic pop artist of the ‘60s, was famously quoted as saying, “In the future, everyone will be famous for fifteen minutes.” That oft-used phrase, “fifteen minutes of fame” found its place in the culture’s common vernacular. Fame is fleeting. The fickle spotlight of public notice relentlessly searches for a new fascination. Fifteen minutes of fame does not equal importance.
I think our culture fails to differentiate between prominence and importance. Prominence can be temporary; importance endures. For instance, my nose may have the greater prominence on my face, but is far from being the most important part of my body, or even of my face. It is my opinion that importance is more about the enduring influence of your life than about momentary popularity or notoriety.
The Corinthian Christians were also confused about this difference, counting some people important for the wrong reasons. Paul corrected their mistake, “And some of the parts that seem weakest and least important are really the most necessary . . so God has put the body together in such a way that extra honor and care are given to those parts that might otherwise seem less important.” 1 Corinthians 12:22/24 NLT. I think that at the very least, Paul was saying, every part of the body has a role to place; none are unnecessary, therefore all are important.
It is best not to worry about being important, just be who you were made to be, unique and one-of-a-kind, created, crafted, and hand-made by the Creator. You don’t determine how important you are. Others decide that by the influence for good you have in others’ lives. Busy yourself doing what God gifted you to do, as unto the Lord, with as much devotion and excellence as you can, and others will determine your importance to their lives. Make yourself necessary and others will deem you important.
Paul used a graphic picture of persons standing before God, as all the works of their life lay at their feet as “gold, silver, and precious stones or wood, hay, and straw.” 1 Corinthians 3:12 NIV. All or most of the endeavors of a lifetime may seem important at the time, but only what holds eternal value receives His reward. “His work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work.” 1 Corinthians 3:13 NIV.
There are people who labor anonymously, hardly known, rarely recognized, and probably assumed unnecessary. They are not prominent by any stretch of the imagination, but the life they live and their service to God and others is invaluable and irreplaceable. See Ephesians 6:7-8 NIV.
My prayer for you today is that your goal be influence and not mere prominence.