Status Symbols

Status Symbols

Who thinks that they need a status symbol to underline their position or their authority or their importance or whatever? After all, kings have a crown and a sceptre; real bishops have a mitre, a ring, and a crook. These are symbolic emblems of the owners authority and power. What about we lesser mortals?

Some people have a job, the title for which they wear as their status symbol. A Chief Executive Officer or CEO for example. Well, let’s be honest, there is a ceo and there is a CEO – know what I mean. I can be ceo of a one-man-band and the only importance of that title is that it is important to me. The CEO of a multi-billion dollar company however – that’s another thing altogether.

Actually, CEO brings us to another category of status symbol – titles. Why is it that people seem to give so much credibility to titles. “He is a Manager so he must be important.” Or some such similar sentiment. Other titles such as Professor, or Director, or ranks like Sergeant often give the bearers lofty and unwarranted perception of their importance.

Some people place great importance on status symbols like cars and other ‘things’ Cars and boats seem to endow a certain importance upon a person. A plane however is the tops in status symbols. Thinking about ‘things’, there are those who place importance of what is colloquially known as bling. Things that sparkle and which can cost a lot of money. Jewellery and watches, designer or haut couture clothes and accessories, and the like. Still others assume the importance of good old fashioned bricks and mortar otherwise known as property or a big house.

The world values ‘things’ above most possessions because, I suppose, they create an illusion of wealth, and money means power. Gods people seem to be very fond of at least two of these – titles and bling !!! The Christian community is very fond of titles – Apostle this, Prophet that, Bishop, Evangelist, Teacher . . . . and so on. One of the favourites is Doctor, a title which all too frequently and shamefully is bought from an unrecognised source almost like one might buy a car. “Ohh, I think Doctor Bennett sounds good. Now, where can I get that from?” Whilst many are earned the hard way, so many more are not. They are simply self aggrandisements to make the bearer seem far more important and learned than he or she really is. Self appointment and self promotion are rampant within the Christian Church today.

The other means of self promotion so beloved of many in the church is the parading of their ‘wealth, position, and status’ – the “bling” factor. They dress in very sharp clothes, arrive in very nice cars, and mix with all the right people. Then on Monday morning it all goes back to the hire shop! It was all show.

I find that oh so very sad and disappointing. I’m sure the Lord does too.