Are you that guy? You know, that guy? The hanger-on. The coattail-rider. The member of the posse or entourage that just doesn’t look like you belong there?
I’m that guy. I look back twenty years to high school (sheesh! already?) and see myself not really fitting in with any one particular group, but finding myself showing up in just about all of them. That continued in college. I was a member of a fraternity, but not the face of the fraternity. Yet I always seemed to be around.
It’s funny to see this play out in my job as well. I just pop up here or there and the people who have gotten used to seeing me at miscellaneous meetings always have that look, “you, again?”. Even here on the blogosphere, I wouldn’t have many of the readers I have or even the friendships I’ve made if not for another blogger that I already (kinda) knew. (One funny example: one brother at church just got a book signed by Jon Acuff at a Dave Ramsey event. I’m like, hey I know Jon Acuff! But do I, really?)
In each of these, I display some level of popularity or importance, which may or may not be the view others have of me in reality. So what’s more important- my view of myself, or what others may or may not think about me?
While this sounds like an insecure rant, let me offer up an idea that might challenge you. You’re a nobody just like me. You are where you are, not because of anything you have done or ever will do, but rather because of what someone else did. You see, we are all riding on someone’s coattails.
“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” (Hebrews 6:19-20, emphasis added)
We can enter into the presence of the Creator of the universe, the Lord of Lords, God Almighty only because Jesus went ahead of us first. Without Jesus, we are simply “by nature, objects of wrath” (Ephesians 2:3). Without Jesus, we are nothing more than sinners separated from God. But with Him…
Every blessing, every single source of joy, we owe to Him. We haven’t earned it. We have done nothing to give us credibility or popularity in God’s eyes. But because of Jesus’ love, we can ride on His coattails. We can be part of Jesus’ entourage.