Lowest

Fancy house?

Check.

Flashy car?

Check.

Respected job?

Check.

Pretty girlfriend?

Check.

Corrupted morals and betrayal of self due to caring more about the opinions of others than one's own values?

Also, check.

Observation: Only fools seek status.

Let me explain…

We all participate in this game called ‘Status’. It is observable in kindergarten, high school, offices, and everywhere else. Wherever two or more people get together, they compete for status. The hierarchy this game creates is based on the values of the specific group. In kindergarten, the kid who can run the fastest may be at the top of the food chain. Once he gets to high school, he may drop a few ranks because running is not valued anymore.

To be clear. It is not being a renowned individual that raises problems; it is desiring to be one. If you play soccer and are simply a talented player with good leadership skills, you may be well-respected and looked up to by the other players. This is not what corrupts values. Wishing to have a higher status and taking steps to advance your status is when things get dicey.

What is the problem with desiring status?

The short answer is this: Those who desire status are the lowest slaves to the opinions of others.

The more detailed answer is that to grow in status, you must first recognize what your group values. Then, you must embody those values better than the other members.

This is problematic for several different reasons.

1. You are comparing yourself to others instead of having Jesus or a virtuous ideal be the standard.

2. You are adopting foreign values not because you believe they are right but to gain recognition.

3. You become a slave to those around you because you value their opinion of you more than you value your own image of yourself or God’s image of you.

4. You are adopting values that only exist in a particular place and time. The top dog in America may be a nobody in a different country because the values on which his status has been built are meaningless there. Values should not be treated as a means to an end. They are not tools, but the product.

5. Status is power. Power corrupts and shows the ugliest aspect of humans. Very few of us can wield power for good. Someone who would betray himself to achieve status is certainly not one of them.

6. The values you are adopting in order to gain status may be meaningless or even harmful.

This list is by no means exhaustive, but I think it is a good starting point.

We have not even mentioned the true poison of desiring status.

Let’s look at that now:

Even if a group's values are honorable, virtuous, godly, and completely good, if they are embodied for the sake of rising above others, they are worthless. The Gospel of Mark reports this happening among the students of Jesus in chapter nine, verses 33 through 36.

The apostles were arguing about who among them was the greatest.

These were Jesus’ students!

They knew His teachings.

They knew He was God who came to earth as a man and served!

And yet, here they were, competing for status. And what was Jesus’ response?

‘Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last and the servant of all.’ (Mark 9:35)

In The Gospel of Luke, we read further of Jesus saying that they, His students, are not supposed to rule like kings but instead by serving. He continues by telling them that the one sitting at the table is greater than the one who serves, yet he follows this up with, ‘But I am among you as one who serves.’ (Luke 22:24-27)

What a powerful statement.

'I am among you as one who serves.'

What do we learn from this?

The desire for status, power, and recognition seems to be innately human. It is powerful, and it tries to gain control of our hearts.

The world tells us to gain status.

‘Buy that car! Imagine the looks you’ll get driving through town.’

‘Don’t let them speak to you like that! You deserve respect. Look at what you’ve achieved in life!’

‘Get those shoes and that house! You’ll be somebody then.’

All the while, we are just falling for an illusion. We think we are climbing to the peak of Mount Olympus while we are actually descending into the depths of Hades.

We think we are anointing ourselves to be kings, but we are actually forfeiting our freedom to those around us.

He who desires status truly makes himself the lowest slave to the opinions of others.