Going viral
These days the word ‘viral’ is more connected to someone being famous rather than being frail.
Reference: v.24 Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret. (Mark 7:24 TNIV)
Explore: The word ‘viral’ used to be a very negative word. It was used to describe a type of disease that multiplied and spread rapidly.
That is still a correct definition, however, these days the word ‘viral’ is more connected to someone being famous rather than being frail. It’s all about the widespread distribution of information, particularly over the Internet. If your clip or info has gone ‘viral’ then thousands, if not millions, of people have shown interest in it.
For some people this is a good thing. They become known, and their career is even launched, by some content of theirs being posted on the Internet. It is then posted on various social media sites so that many people see it.
Sometimes this is great for the person as it can change their life in a truly positive way. For others, it can be devastating as the content brings shame and embarrassment for so many to see.
Application: It seems that Jesus’ life went viral even before the Internet. It spread using the age-old version of the web … word of mouth!
Jesus didn’t use special effects, He didn’t sing a catchy melody, and He didn’t have a cat that did quirky tricks. Jesus became famous because He lived his life in the way that God wants each of us to live.
There’s nothing wrong with being popular or even famous, but everyone should assess how we are known. Is it for an interesting piece of entertainment, or is it for being like Christ and loving God and others?
Prayer: Lord, often the limelight seems so appealing and we all want our 15 minutes of fame. However, it is more important to proclaim Your name than our own. May we strive to live today to make Your name famous. Amen.
What are you known for today?
This article was written by Linda Bailey
Linda started theological studies in 1999 in Australia. After working for ten years in various church ministries, she now works as the breakfast producer at 89.9 LightFM - the Christian radio station in Melbourne, Australia. She writes blogs every day about passages she is currently reading in the Bible. Follow her on Google Plus +Linda Bailey or Facebook by clicking the like button on the right of this page.