HYPE AND TYPE

From My Perspective - - -

When it comes to the areas of publicity or self-promotion, image is vital. To achieve an image requires a personal discipline and persona. Additionally, this effort will also necessitate a degree of “hype” if a personal goal of impressing others is to be realized. Hype requires: “to stimulate or excite; to create interest in by flamboyant or dramatic methods; to publicize or promote.” It will include a very favorable personal profile of successes (real and/or exaggerate) and a listing of prominent references. When it comes to the area of “type”, the person is seeking to project a particular set of characteristics, or to put himself/herself into a select group, class or category. The idea is to project professionalism and to cause others to think of one as the voice to be heard and the authority to be followed.

There are many areas to illustrate where both Hype and Type are emphasized. In Politics, Sports, Performing Arts, Field of Medicine and Journalism, the effort of self-promotion is present and obvious. One other area where this is evident is in various Religious and Ministry Endeavors. While some would suggest that “cream always rises to the top”, therefore the best in religious endeavor are to be afforded the same stature and position of acceptance because of personality and mega-sized effort or organization. Publicity and Personality become the critical issue and Prestige soon follows the “Hype and Type” image creation that has transpired. While the “Hype and Type” factor prevails and finds acceptance, those who labor unnoticed should not view themselves as being lessor or inferior. Despite the fact that pecking orders can and do exist, no one should deem himself/herself as a disparaged being and/or of no vital value in a just and right cause.

Particularly, in the area of religious endeavor, there are certain truths that one should remember. First, in the sight of God, how does He view a person’s value and how does He utilize a person’s skills and commitments. In I Corinthians 1:26-29, Paul asserts and affirms: “think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.” It is sad to observe how religious endeavors have fallen into the secular trap and have bought into the “hype and type” of self-promotion in order to obtain status – position and prestige.

In terms of responsibility and assignments, there needs to be an understanding of God’s Call and His granting of who He wants to do particular tasks for Him. In Ephesians 4:11-13, Paul asserts and affirms: “It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” It is a design and structure established by God Himself so that His purposes will be achieved in His prescribed way.

There is a Hymn - So Send I You -that used to be sung when a Missionary was being commissioned and sent forth to a foreign nation. The Lyrics have Jesus speaking and sending His servants: “So send I you to labor unrewarded; To serve unpaid, unloved, unsought, unknown; To bear rebuke, to suffer scorn and scoffing; So send I you to toil for Me alone. So send I you to bind the bruised and broken; Over wandering souls to work, to weep, to wake; To bear the burdens of a world a-weary; So send I you to suffer for My sake. So send I you to leave your life's ambition; To die to dear desire, self-will resign; To labor long, and love where men revile you; So send I you to lose your life in Mine. So send I you to hearts made hard by hatred; To eyes made blind because they will not see; To spend, though it be blood to spend and spare not; So send I you to taste of Calvary. "As the Father hath sent me, so send I you!"  Consider these things with me!