We live in a day of self-promotion. Marketing firms are hired today to
persuade others to view a person or situation in the way they want you
to. There are millions of dollars spent annually by sports companies,
personality agents, and marketing firms to create fame for their clients
and products. They negotiate sponsorship deals and try to get the most
money for the most exposure. The ultimate goal is fame and notoriety.
There is a great danger in self-promotion. Self-promotion is trying to
move from the place you are to a place ahead of where God may want you.
It is not wrong to become famous, popular or desired by others as long
as it happens as a fruit of your calling. However, when you begin to
orchestrate things in an effort to inflate who you are for the sake of
gain, you have crossed the line.
David's fame was a result of his fulfilling his mission in life. When he
failed, he repented. When he was successful, he acknowledged the Lord.
Never do you see David exalt himself over the Lord. Yes, he made some
selfish decisions that led to sin. But David could not be criticized for
self-promotion.
We all must carefully balance the difference between marketing designed
to inform and educate versus promote and manipulate. Describing the true
attributes of a product, service or person is good marketing
communications. However, persuasion designed to inflate reality is
witchcraft.
Proverbs says, "Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; someone else, and not your own lips (Prov 27:2).
Following this principle will keep you from moving beyond God's method of promotion.
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