Popular

We live in a culture that worships what’s popular.
Worth seems to be measured in views.
Status in followers.
And our influence in click counts.

Popular is the new wealthy.

And if you follow Jesus, you’re going to run into a problem.
Because the truth isn’t always trending.
And the gospel doesn’t always go viral.

Jesus didn’t come to win a popularity contest.
In fact, the first to turn on Him weren’t the pagans.
They were the religious elite.
The ones with the influence.
The ones guarding the system that kept them popular.

Two thousand years later, not much has changed.
Ambition still corrupts.
Platforms still seduce.
Crowds still shift with every wind.

It’s easy to chase the crowd without even noticing.
To measure impact by reach.
To trim the message until it fits inside a feed.
And somewhere along the way, the approval of the masses starts to matter more than the approval of God.

I have to be honest—I struggle with this.
I want people to like me.
I want to be respected.
And I’m guessing you feel the same.
None of us wakes up thinking, How many people can I make hate me today?

But here’s reality:
If we truly follow Christ, we won’t conform.
There are stands we’ll take that will not be popular.
In this world, sin is normalized and righteousness is despised.
If you stand for truth, you’ll become a target.

But let me be clear: speaking truth doesn’t mean being a jerk.
Hate speech is anti-Jesus.
Jesus was full of grace and truth.
Both matter.

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.
If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own.
As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.
That is why the world hates you.” — John 15:18–19 (NIV)

So don’t be surprised when truth loses the click count battle.
Sometimes following Him means walking straight out of the algorithm.

But truth matters more than applause.

If this encouraged you, would you share it with one friend who might need it too?

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