In every generation, there are individuals who earnestly seek the spotlight, longing for recognition, applause, and prominence. Their pursuit of fame becomes a defining goal, yet many among them never attain it. This mirrors the sobering observation of Ecclesiastes 9:11: “The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong... but time and chance happen to them all.” The desire for human recognition is deeply rooted in fallen human nature, often driven by insecurity, pride, or the fear of insignificance. Yet the elusive nature of the spotlight reminds us that earthly fame is fleeting and unreliable, and not all who seek it shall find it.
Conversely, there are those who have sought the spotlight and found it. They have attained visibility, influence, and applause. While some use their platforms to glorify God, others are consumed by the very fame they pursued. The Bible warns in Proverbs 27:21: “The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, and a man is valued by what others say of him.” The spotlight tests the integrity of its bearer. For the believer, any position of prominence must be seen as a sacred trust and handled with humility. Biblical figures like Joseph, Esther, and Daniel did not seek fame but were elevated by divine providence and used their platforms to fulfil God’s purposes.
Yet there is a greater truth: there are those who do not chase the spotlight because they are themselves the spotlight. These are God’s children, born of the Spirit and united with Christ, who is the true Light of the world (John 8:12). Jesus declared in Matthew 5:14, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.” They do not radiate light to be seen by men, but because they live in union with the One who is Light. Their lives are not governed by the approval of men but by their communion with Christ. They embody the presence of God in everyday spaces, and through them, divine illumination is made visible.
However, being the spotlight is not without its battles. Those who carry divine light often face opposition, difficulties, rejections, castigation, and human attempts to frustrate or silence them. The world resists what it cannot control. But such people continue to rise because they do not rely on the endorsement of earthly authorities or the light of human recognition. Their resilience flows from the indwelling Christ, as Paul proclaims in 2 Corinthians 4:6-7: “For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts... But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.” No amount of human suppression can extinguish the divine light within a believer who walks in true union with Christ.
In conclusion, while some seek the spotlight and never find it, and others attain it and are tested by it, the true calling is to be the spotlight, not in pursuit of human fame, but as vessels of divine light. The believer’s identity in Christ makes them radiant in a dark world, regardless of opposition or obscurity. The Church must remind God’s people that our goal is not to be seen, but to reveal Him. As Jesus commands, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). We rise, not by the permission of men, but by the power of the light within us, Christ, our eternal source.