Does God Hate Fame: Luke 16:1-18
Focus Passage: Luke 16:1-18 (NCV)
Every so often, a phrase jumps out at me while reading a passage I have read dozens of times before. Perhaps this has happened to you. You are leisurely reading through the Bible when bam,some phrase hits you in a new way and shifts your thinking.
This passage holds one of these “bam”-moments for me. While most of the time we read these verses, we focus in on the parable, the verse that jumped off the page at me comes after the story, and in Jesus’ direct words to the Pharisees. Verse 15 says, “He said to them, ‘You make yourselves look good in front of people, but God knows what is really in your hearts. What is important to people is hateful in God’s sight.’”
Prior readings of this verse never really jumped out at me, probably because the verses on either side of this one have powerful messages as well, but the last sentence of this verse hit me in a new way: “What is important to people is hateful in God’s sight.”
In the context, Jesus is challenging the Pharisees on their view of money and the priority they have placed on it, and in the sentence just before this one (verse 15a), sets the stage for a broader focus than on money. Making oneself look good in front of people may come because one has some money, but it is the desire for fame and status. Desiring fame and status is one subtle foothold for pride to enter our lives. Pride wants the focus to be turned towards me, and desiring fame and status, is similar because it wants the spotlight and the stage – specifically the attention.
But Jesus says, “What is important to people is hateful in God’s sight.”
This truth is both powerful and challenging.
Is God saying that He hates money, fame, status, and stuff?
While it might appear like this on the surface, Jesus is touching on a deeper truth: Where is your heart at?
Is your heart focused on acquiring money, stuff, status, etc. or is it focused on Jesus?
Can it be both? Perhaps one could have both sides of this dilemma, but there must be a priority that is visible in your life. If Jesus is first, then it must be visible to others through with where we put our money, time, talents, and other resources. If we are not intentionally placing Jesus first in our lives, all the stuff that crowds out God will crowd out God.
All the stuff that is important to people is hateful in God’s sight because it feeds pride in one’s heart, and because it crowds out God from being the primary focus. God doesn’t hate fame, status, or stuff; He wants us to have righteous priorities.
This thought was inspired by studying the Walking With Jesus “Reflective Bible Study” package. To discover insights like this in your own study time, click here and give Reflective Bible Study a try today!
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