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No matter how famous someone might be, the fact remains; most of the other seven billion people on Earth wouldn’t know him or her from the next person. Add this reality to one’s shrinking recognizability among the multiple billions down through history, and the worldly emphasis on standing out really falls flat; we’re all in this obscurity thing together.
Ironically, the trouble with me and you and the rest of humanity is not a lack of self-confidence but that we have far too much self-importance. To live and die unnoticed would seem a grave injustice to many. It’s all too easy to think we’re somebody if our portfolio is strong, there are a few letters after our name, or we’re well-known at work, church, or school.
As pride creeps in, we are tempted to want more: more recognition, more admiration, more influence, more, more, more. Few have ever given thought to wanting less. That’s why we need Embracing Obscurity.
Putting the premise into immediate action, an established Christian author electing to remain anonymous writes about living and dying in simplicity, contending that true success, as modeled by Jesus, starts with humility, service, sacrifice, and surrender. Such a life involves mystery and banks on the hope that today is just a dress rehearsal for eternity.
When we stop imitating the world and instead choose to embrace obscurity, real life -- chock full of significance, purpose, and renewed passion -- begins.
- Sales Rank: #132516 in eBooks
- Published on: 2013-12-08
- Released on: 2013-12-08
- Format: Kindle eBook
Review
We live in a celebrity-obsessed culture. And let’s be real, the church isn’t all that different. In fact, in the church we often make the case that influence is something to be pursued; the greater our influence, the greater our impact for Christ. Yet, what does it mean to make much of ourselves in order to make much of Him, instead of trusting Him to make much of Himself—despite us.�Embracing Obscurity�is incredibly powerful as it reminds us to question whether we are building our own self-importance or finding it in Christ. Are we willing to be obscure so that Christ is exalted? How can we say no?
—Jen Hatmaker, author of�Seven: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess
Our lives can exalt only one person. This book challenged me to consider who, for me, that one person was. Am I willing to embrace obscurity for Jesus? If only one person can receive attention in my life, is it Him? This book helped me marvel again at the Christ who embraced obscurity for us. His humiliation led to our exaltation. When we understand that, how can we not say,�“He must increase, but I must decrease!”
—JD Greear, Lead Pastor, the Summit Church Twitter: @jdgreear @summitrdu
In an age where value is often determined by the number of Twitter followers and Facebook�“likes”�a person has, the idea of embracing obscurity seems about as outdated as an old rotary dial phone. Not to mention, social networking has made it possible to broadcast the details of our day down to what we had for breakfast and the playlist of songs we listened to on our lunch break. It’s all beginning to be a bit too much. I applaud whoever wrote this book for reminding us all of our ultimate purpose: To make much of God and less of ourselves. This book is an absolute treasure that should be on every Christian’s nightstand. Permanently.
—Vicki Courtney, a fellow author, who would have rather gone unnamed to embrace obscurity
Embracing Obscurity�may change the way you view the authentic Christian life. It pierced my heart with the simple truth that I do not suffer from a lack of self-confidence but from an abundance of self-importance. Can I be content with relative obscurity so that Christ may be made more famous?! A haunting question to be sure. A worthwhile question no doubt. So, be prepared to be made uncomfortable in a good way.
—Daniel L. Akin, president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
It is a paradoxical sign of the times that a book advocating the virtues of anonymity yet requires named endorsements in order to be properly marketable. Thus, it is with some sense of irony, if not incoherence, that I commend this work. We live in an age where self-promotion is the norm and where even many sincere Christians have bought into this culture with enthusiasm. Yet the message of this important book is that such self promotion is not simply a neutral cultural tool but is in fact antithetical to biblical Christianity. This is a timely call to modesty, privacy, and humility. It is painful but necessary reading that is likely to be hated, disparaged, or simply ignored by the very people who most need to heed its message.
—Carl R. Trueman, Westminster Theological Seminary
Many of us are drunk right now, intoxicated with a desire to be respected, honored, and widely known. And yet this intoxication derails our ability to give God the respect, honor, and renown that He so rightly deserves. For this reason, the author of�Embracing Obscurity�argues that we must renounce his desire to build our own kingdom and, in so doing, we will find unspeakable joy and freedom in Christ. If you are fighting the temptation to build your own kingdom—like I am—you need to buy this book and take its thesis to heart.
—Bruce Riley Ashford, Dean of The College Research Fellow, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
Embracing Obscurity�is a tremendous challenge to the greatest hindrance to fulfilling the Great Commission, namely PLEASURE. I must get this book into the hands of all the people I lead.
—Johnny Hunt, pastor, First Baptist Church, Woodstock, Georgia
Embracing Obscurity�challenges us to cultivate a joyful sense of contentment in the truth that the One who matters most already knows you. Being known by Him is enough.
—Trevin Wax, managing editor of The Gospel Project, author of�Counterfeit Gospels�and�Holy Subversion
If American evangelicalism is like a football team, with different positions and players,�Embracing Obscurity�is the 300-pound linebacker lurking over the middle. It hits hard. There were sentences in this book that stopped me cold. Conclusions from its provocative critique will vary, but the book is prophetic and needed. I’m not anonymous in recommending this text, but I’m definitely stirred to embrace the gospel that knocks us down like Saul, frees us from sin and death, and turns vainglorious somebodies into glorious nobodies.
—Owen Strachan, Assistant Professor of Christian Theology and Church History; coauthor,�Essential Edwards Collection
Pride is the plague of the human heart, and like most people, I long to be known. I long to enter into the kingdom of heaven riding the white horse, crown on my head, sword in my hand. I want to be the self-sufficient Christian. The gospel call, though, is a call to enter the kingdom on my knees. It is because of this that I am deeply grateful for the unknown author who not only embraced obscurity, but who lovingly calls us to do the same in this book. Please reed, weep, and walk this way.
—Micah Fries, pastor, Frederick Boulevard
A man who won’t put his name on his book greatly authenticates his thesis�“All for His glory, none of mine.”�Only the cross has the wondrous attraction. Not me, not my church, not my glory. America’s Christians and their leaders need no message more than this,�“He must increase; I must decrease. Completely.”
—John Bisagno
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About the Author
Anoymous is an experienced author who shall remain anonymous given the topic of the book at hand.
Most helpful customer reviews
37 of 38 people found the following review helpful.
If you are a nobody wanting to be a somebody, "Quit!"
By David Rupert
There's something about this book that hit's me wrong. But as much as I hate to admit it, it's totally right.
The whole world right now is about getting noticed. If you are in business, just hunkering down and doing the work is no longer acceptable. There must be innovation, transformation and marketing of your idea. This is done in the boardroom all the way down to the boiler room.
Social media is all about standing out. We try to write clever Facebook status posts, hoping for "engagement" and likes. Twitter reposts are validation and the accumulation of friends and followers is the modern day treasure chest of status. Everyone is trying to be the loudest voice in a noisy world.
Embracing Obscurity is written by Anonymous. Right away I want to know the credibility of the writer, his theology, and his authority to speak truth. Just a few pages into the book and I'm realized that by looking at all of this first, I was missing the point on this book - and maybe my entire existence
Contrast this with Michael Hyatt's book, "Platform: Getting Noticed in a Noisy World."The CEO of Thomas Nelson gives all kinds of advice on how to stand above the crowd.Embracing Obscurity encourages you to fly under the radar, to let others get the attention while you go about God's work.
He admits, "The thought of being just one out of 100 billion people who have lived on this planet offends us."
We all want to be somebody. Whether it's an important opinion in the Bible study, a volunteer at the PTA, an innovator at work. If you are in the arts, you thrive on the cheers and adulation of those that admire your work.
There are Scriptural exhortations by the dozens that remind us about the pride that precedes the fall, the first becoming last, and the fate of the proud. Why do we ignore them and press on with the deception that we need to be somebody to be anybody? This book should rattle ministries to the core with its thunderous message of less.
"We have a misguided search for significance - a quest for success, wealthy, notoriety, power, or be in some way, any way different," the author writes. "When we accept that our value is not dependent on what we do or accomplish we are, ironically, liberated to do much for Christ."
David,[...]
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful.
It will make you do some soul searching
By Reviewer
I received an advanced reader copy of this book. The book's marketer found me through my book review blog. I was sent a copy before it was made available to the public. I am proud that as a reviewer I received this book before anyone else.
The above statement makes me exactly the type of person who needs to read this book. It is about overcoming our pride problem. We all have one and this book will help you see that and hopefully overcome it by "Embracing Obscurity."
The author confronts us with the reality that we are "just 1 in 7 billion." By embracing obscurity the author means being content with being relatively unknown so that Christ can be made more known. Our time on earth will come and go but eternity is forever and it is for eternity we should live.
The key to obscurity's embrace is finding our significance in Christ. When we find our significance in Christ "we are freed from our vanity and can instead fulfill God's purposes for us" (p. 66). "To get to the place where we can truly embrace our obscurity, we'll have to sacrifice our dreams of worldly success and instead take on this humble disposition...the disposition of Christ" (p. 85).
The author provides a very helpful contrast between Christ's disposition of humility versus Satan's disposition of pride (pp. 50-51). Modeling Jesus Christ is only way to embrace obscurity.
He warns of falling for "The Joseph Principle." This is the dangerous misconception that
"If I am suffering in obscurity today, God must be preparing me for something greater, better, or more prominent later in life" (p. 116). "We comfort ourselves with this kind of self-talk because it's far more soothing than the thought of suffering for the sole purpose of God's glory or -heaven forbid- having to embrace obscurity indefinitely" (p. 118). We are prone to interpret the "all things for good" in Romans 8:28 to mean worldly success. "What if your good is soley to make His name great?" (p. 119).
Be forewarned, embracing obscurity will make you look crazy in the eyes of the world. "If our lifestyle doesn't even raise the eyebrows of the world, what does that say about our devotion to the gospel?" (p. 129). For Christians to die to self, to put others first, to serve in obscurity is very mysterious to the rest of humanity.
"So how about us? Are we living mysteriously? Are our lives marked by service, sacrifice, love for others, abandonment of self, dependency on God, or genuine passion to see the lost saved? Or are we more preoccupied with the things of the world? A cool car or job? A retirement account? A higher education or some humanitarian work? Maybe even some noble things done but for the wrong reasons? Do any decisions in our lives seem mysterious to those around us? Without mystery we have to wonder whether we have embraced the ways of the Father or imitated the world" (p. 134).
This is a thought-provoking book. It caused me some severe introspection. As Christ followers, it asks us to consider if every opportunity for advancement should be undertaken, even those where there are no scriptures violated. I "humbly" give it my recommendation.
This book was provided by the publisher for review. The reviewer was under no obligation to offer a favorable review.
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful.
Profitable, But Not Without Flaws
By Benjamin A. Simpson
It isn't often that a book arrives by post penned by an anonymous author. The last time that happened? Well, never. So when I was asked to review Embracing Obscurity: Becoming Nothing in Light of God's Everything (B&H Books), I was intrigued, for we exist within a Christian subculture in which those who produce media want to be noticed, whether we are wordsmiths (written or spoken), film makers, or musicians. Bloggers are not immune. In fact, in the blogosphere, vainglory reigns supreme. Platform building, audience, click-throughs, exclusive interviews, and "first reviews" take pride of place. Everyone wants to be famous. In this respect, we aren't much different from the world, and I must confess I know these pains firsthand.
EO begins with a strong declaration of our problem, and a little bit of math. The author writes, "We're intoxicated with a desire to be known, recognized, appreciated, and respected. We crave to be a 'somebody' and do notable things, to achieve our dreams and gain the admiration of others. To be something--anything--other than nothing." Yet, the author notes, on a planet of "Seven billion, twenty five million, four hundred twenty thousand, three hundred ninety," it is difficult to stand out. We are all relatively obscure.
The author names up-front that remaining anonymous in publication is not a gimmick or a hoax, but is a genuine effort to live in accordance with the primary message of this book: embracing obscurity. Humility and lowliness are supreme values for the author, as well as the intention of deflecting glory to a greater source, God himself. The author writes, "It's about making Him, not ourselves, look good." Yet this is a paradox, one that can be seen in the life of Jesus himself, who in his very life gave glory to God in all things, and in succeeding, was elevated to the highest place.
Following a diagnosis of glory-seeking and a declaration of our relative unimportance concerning the broad numerical scope of humanity, EO explores our notions of identity and definition, and our understanding of Jesus as a humble, servant king. EO then expounds a liberating Christian approach to true significance, success, servanthood, and suffering. Lastly, the author examines important concerns such as the mysterious nature of Christian witness, a pastoral admonition for a humble posture if recognition does come, and a brief treatment of our ultimate hope in Christ. Throughout, EO illuminates every point through exposition of the Bible, and remains close to the text.
The overall structure and primary theme of EO is sound and pastorally helpful. If I may borrow a medical analogy, if the diagnosis is obsessive glory-seeking and idol-worship at the altars of fame, success, financial security, beauty, or countless other false gods, this book has the ability to point to the cure of many ills. Why? Because this book points to God as the source of all we have, the one deserving all our glory, and the fount of all dignity and worth.
God is great, and we are but bit-players in his grand drama. Granted, that is an overstatement. And perhaps this is where EO exhibits its shortcomings. In an effort to demonstrate just how obscure, how insignificant and how small we are in comparison the largesse of our world, EO whittles us down too far. When John the Baptist was approached by his disciples concerning the crowds that were leaving him and gravitating toward Jesus, he replied, "He must become greater; I must become less." Not nothing, less. And Jesus, by virtue of his "obedience unto death--even death on a cross" was not relegated to the obscure, but was instead lifted to the highest place, as Paul says in Philippians 2. These themes are explored by EO to a degree (Phil. 2 is a key text for Chapter 3), but the implications for us are not drawn out as well as they could've been.
Human beings have dignity and worth not because of what we do or achieve, but because we are first created in God's image (Gen. 1:27) and are being restored by virtue of Christ's work on the cross (2 Cor. 5:17, amplified by the argument in 2 Cor. 1-4). We are being "made new" by virtue of Christ's life, death, and resurrection, and through the power available to us through faith in him. We are, therefore, of inestimable worth.
We may be obscure in relation to the relative population of the earth, but we are not obscure to the One who really counts (a point made in Chapter 4, "Embracing Significance", but not carried strongly enough throughout). We are being redeemed and remade in to something that exceeds all we dare imagine. Instead of "embracing obscurity," we are called to embrace Christ, in whose eyes we are already famous, not because of anything we have done, but because of what he has done so that we might be made his possession (Hebrews 12:1-2). Embracing Christ leads to a life of humility, of lowliness, of service to others, for we have first been humbled and brought low in our calling to serve Christ the King.
Humility, hiddenness, full commitment, service to others, secrecy, peace, and contentment are all needed in greater supply for those in Christ. The writer of EO and I are in agreement that those resources are available. This book points a way, and should be read critically and with care. As I said, many admonitions here can be helpful, but need further nuance.
It may be that my differences with the author of EO boil down to semantics and rhetorical presentation, and are therefore differences of degree, not kind. As a charitable reader, I would like to think so. But in charity, I also must say the points emphasized above were not made strongly nor consistently enough. I believe that "becoming nothing" or "embracing obscurity" are themes that depart from robust thinking on what it means for us to be redeemed and sanctified, and thus are in need of redefinition, or a different scaffolding, if they are to stand.
This does not mean that another book must be written, but that this book must be complemented by the witness of a community, a group of friends. Pick it up and discuss it with other Christians, and you will profit.
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