How to Be Somebody

 

Do you feel like a loser?

Do you feel like you’re never quite good enough, and you’re always surrounded by people who can show you up?

Let me share a secret with you. 

You don’t need a college degree or a certain amount of money to make it in life. You don’t even need a big fancy house.

The fourth chapter of Luke tells about how Jesus was called to Jairus’ house to heal Jairus’ sick daughter. On the way there, Jesus was thronged with people, young and old. The high priests could have well been there, who were considered the leaders in Jerusalem.

Some centurions, the high ranking guards in the Roman empire, could have even been around Jesus around the time.

Jesus didn’t pay attention to any of them. Even though they were right there, brushing by him, even well respected and perhaps people of prominence,

Jesus didn’t see them. Until, suddenly, everything stopped.

“Who touched me?” Jesus asked.

His disciples stared at him. “Master, the multitudes throng You and press You, and You suddenly want to know who touched you?”

“Somebody,” Jesus said. “Somebody has touched Me.”

It didn’t matter how much money one of them had in their bank account or how many men were under their command.

It didn’t matter how good they were at basketball or football or how skilled they were.

It didn’t matter how high some of those ranked on their SAT tests or how many PhD’s they had.

It didn’t even matter what car they drove or what kind of career path they held or what generation their phone was.

It didn’t matter how attractive they were or their spouse was, or even how good their personal hygiene was.

None of those were qualifications to becoming ‘somebody’ to Jesus.

What was it?

How did one person in those multitudes of people become a standout?

One woman, in a desperate, broken, hopeless place, ripped off by the medical industry, reaching the end of her rope, in one moment, chose to do something completely remarkable.

She chose to believe and act on her belief.

And Heaven shook on her behalf.

Her belief stopped everything. Jesus had to respond. He had to.

This woman’s choice to believe catapulted this loser, this reject into becoming a VIP in the kingdom of God.

Personally, when someone tells someone, “you’re a winner!”, I almost reflexively tense up.

That’s because I hate the idea that we grade people as winners or losers based on physical attributes, accomplishments, or abilities.

It feels like we judge how deserving people are of love.

I remember somebody talking to me about a certain restaurant: “You know, only losers work there.”

“Why would you say that?” I asked them. “Why would you judge those people just because of how they look or where they work?”

I know what it feels like to be a loser.

I hate it when other people categorize people as ‘winners’ and ‘losers’ because I’ve spent too much time in the other camp.

But when I heard it the other day, God touched my heart, and said: “No, listen, there are real winners and losers in life.”

In Christ, you are a winner. When you listen and follow God’s will, you line yourself up for God’s blessings.

How did God say it in Deuteronomy 30?

“I set before you a blessing and a curse”.

If you obey God, it commands a blessing. If you choose to turn from God? It commands a curse.

Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God.

Call on the name of the Lord, dare to believe in how much God loves you, boldly approach the throne room, and become a “somebody” in the eternal kingdom of God!