Fame is Fleeting

Crazy hypothetical: Fame is Fleeting *

You have a choice between forms of fame.

#1. You can be famous for a specific role (like a spokesperson for a national company; i.e. Flo from Progressive, or the Maytag Man) Everyone will know you (recognize) but not know who you are (name, anything else about you) This role will make you a good amount of money and comfortable lifestyle but not super rich. This will be all you will ever do but people will remember you after your gone

#2. You will be infamous, everyone will know you but for something negative. (Think Steve Bartman or reality show “villain”) You will have a mark in history that no one will ever forget and everyone will know all about you. This role won’t make you much money and be the sum of your career.

#3. You will be “That guy” the person that has lots of roles in lots of movie and shows but is never the lead actor (sometimes referred to character actors). People might recognize you but not know your name. This role will make you a good amount of money and comfortable lifestyle but not super rich. Your career will be varied and interesting but you will be totally forgotten when it is over.

#4. You will uber famous but only to a limited number of people (i.e. the most famous person in theoretical physicist , star of sport no one watches) Those that are in that group will think you are the greatest ever but no one outside of the group will much care who you are. This role will make you very wealthy and you will have an interesting career but be forgotten about very quickly.

Which one do you choose? Which one would you not choose? Which one do you think matches the life of Jesus best?

*Crazy Hypothetical is a mental game that gives you a conditional choice that gets you thinking about a subject. I used these for several years as discussion starters in Bible class. Since fame is the huge goal among teens. It is an interesting way to get them to take a look at what fame means.