From today’s devotional reading:

In honor of the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, the Harris Poll (a market research company) surveyed American kids to ask what they wanted to do when they grew up. YouTube star ranked number one. 

YouTube Star

I once dreamed of becoming a YouTube star. It wasn’t just a part of my dream, it was also how I made a living. But deep down, I felt guilty and troubled by the soul-draining nature of this ambition.

For a long time, especially before I found Christ, I struggled with envy every time I saw someone doing well on social media. My heart ached, and I would think, “Why am I such a loser? That should be me.” This tormenting cycle would repeat daily, keeping me up at night, planning ways to be like them. I didn’t realize then how harmful this was to my soul. Growing up, I thought every young person was supposed to chase this dream. It was what I saw everywhere.

I worked as a graphic designer for different marketing teams for 15 years. My sole purpose was to take something might worth $50 and make it appear to be worth $500. Now, as a freelancer, I work with many clients hustling to become YouTube stars—some have already made it. I’ve had an up-close view of their lives, and they are some of the most empty people I’ve ever encountered.

The Real Stars

Now that I’ve found peace and truth in God, I understand why chasing personal kingdoms is destructive to the soul. When a branch grows too big on its own, it eventually breaks. Human kings are only worshiped for a short time in history, but Christ’s reign is eternal. Jesus died long ago without seeing the world’s worship, but if you look closely, more people worship Christ through history than any human king. His impact is everlasting.

Only the Truth endures. Everything fake will fade away. Now, when I see people chasing empty personal dreams, I feel for them. They just don’t know any better, especially have not experienced the better way, just like the old me.

I pray for their hearts, for they are already stars—true stars in the Father’s kingdom. I remind myself of this whenever my ego tries to rise again. I look up at the stars in the night sky, and it reminds me that we are all already shining in God’s eyes.

Since I stopped chasing my personal dreams, I’ve met so many truly beautiful souls—people you’ll never find on social media or in the spotlight. They may never be famous, but their love shines so brightly, it illuminates even my darkest moments. They are the real stars, and that’s who I aspire to be.