fame

How does one handle sudden fame? 

Generally, sudden fame is not handled well. Super star failures are the norm, millions of dollars do not make up for significant moral weaknesses. How many musicians have commited suicide at age 27, stunning the world's admirers but fooling no one. 

For this blogger, Kurt Cobain was a train wreck waiting to happen. He led the Grunge movement out of the northwest, a movement dedicated to the leveling of life with their clothes, lifestyle and words. His music lashed out at the dollar driven world and advocated that the best life was one unshackled from materialism. Cobain became a hit, was given millions of dollars, then fell into a deep despair because of the tear between he believed and what life gave him. He chose neither and instead tried to live in the gap between. The lostness was overwhelming until he killed himself. He is much like King Saul, the first of the Isrealite kings.

In contrast, a young man with a clear foundation for life's troubles arose with the blessing of both God and men. He was the youngest in a large family, was left to do the simplest jobs, and really wasn't expected to amount to much. His older brothers discounted his small stature and devotion to God as unmanly. The blessing of God was on the big, strong warmonger Saul, wasn't it?

Samuel the prophet  was pleased when God spoke about a new king to replace the egomaniac that Saul had become. Samuel was stunned that God was about to leave the conventional wisdom behiind to choose the shepherd with spunk. God said not to look on the outward appearances, because He looked at the heart for his choice. David arrives, smallish but handsome, well worn by the elements and smelling of the combination of sheep and hillside. David is chosen, anointed, will be king. 

I believe Saul, like Cobain, was a humble man at the start of his career. I also believe that they both were trapped in the chasm between expectation and reality. When they tried to mold reality to fit their expectation they failed and lost hope. Saul becomes paranoid and sees himself as a savior, dying on a hill with his sons. Cobain dies of suicide amid a pile of cash he did not want or believe he earned honestly. David rises because he can go to God in the pit, or praise God violently on the mountaintop. 

So, how do you handle sudden fame? How would you want to handle sudden fame?