It's Not a Carnival Act

But when he went into the hard truth of his message of being the son of God, a bunch of people couldn't understand, so they deserted him. Even Jesus' brothers didn't believe him. (Having brothers, I totally get this.) They were like, "Hey, the big festival is coming, you should stop talking, go and do a few tricks like a carnival act, and become famous!"

Become famous. Jesus wasn't trying to become verified, post a bunch of filtered glamour shots, or get a cameo on Cribs. He wasn't there for himself at all. In fact, he did go to the festival, but secretly. As he walked around, he listened to what people were saying about him- a "good man" or a fraud, they quietly debated. When he had enough, he stood on the temple steps and doubled down on his message.  

"Those who speak for themselves want glory only for themselves, but a person who seeks to honor the one who sent him speaks truth, not lies." (John 7:18)

Who do you speak for? Who do you serve? Are you working for the headline or trying to benefit the reader? Do you want fame or impact?

When we work to glorify others, our impact is exponential.

When you speak from a position of wanting the best outcome for the person across from you, not yourself, it leads to trust. Unselfish truth sells.  

It's no coincidence that Jesus became the most famous person in the history of mankind by saying, "It's not about me, but the one who sent me. Let me point you to Him." And then He lay himself down for his friends. He took responsibility and deflected credit. Who gets the glory in your life?

Measure success by how many people you leave better for the encounter, and you won't have to do carnival tricks to get noticed.