Are you a nobody?

That’s a mean question. But isn’t that how the world categorizes most people? You’re either a somebody or you’re a nobody. It’s as simple as that.

You are a somebody because you graduate from a certain school, or you have a certain talent, or you are a gifted athlete and you play professional sports, or you are pretty and you become an A-list movie star, or you climb up the corporate ladder because you are good at schmoozing. And because you have a few extra letters before or after your name — Dr. so and so, Prof. so and so, or so and so Esq. or Esquire. I am not even sure why lawyers use Esq, but Esquire sounds impressive, like you are a somebody.

And if you are a somebody, people pay attention to you. You are in the news. People read about your life. And if you write a book, people buy it. If you are a somebody, you walk in the room and people sit up and take notice. They give you a VIP treatment, you get to go to the front of the line, you get valet service, you get a special private room in the back.

I work in W. Hollywood and there is a hair stylist that famous celebrities go to. And the more famous you are, the greater the number of paparazzi that show up. And they show up right in front of my office window and they block my view of the trees. And I’m like hello, I am working here. But they don’t care. They all have cameras poised and ready to take that one shot of the celebrity in the split second from the time they exit the door of the salon and get into their limo. For Paula Abdul, there were about 4 photographers. There were about 10 for Jessica Alba. So even among the somebodies, there are different level of somebodiness.

Did you know that exclusive photos of Brad Pitt and Angelie Jolie’s newborn twins cost “People” magazine $14 million? Can you believe that? That number shocked me, my jaws dropped. Then I thought, they can pay $14 million because they know that there are enough people in this world who would be interested in purchasing that issue of People to make that kind of extravagant financial investment worthwhile. I don’t know what is more sad — spending that much money on photos or the people who are dying to see that photo. I couldn’t even give away photos of my family because people would be like, who are you? Do I know you? Why would I want your photos?

This is a world where the somebodies rule.

And if you are not a somebody, then you’re a nobody. And I don’t think I need to describe a nobody because there is not really much to say.

The passage from today is a story of 2 people. One was a somebody and the other was a nobody.

21When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. 22Then one of the synagogue rulers, named Jairus, came there. Seeing Jesus, he fell at his feet 23and pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” (Mark 5:21-23)

Jairus was a synagogue ruler. He was a respected religious leader in that a community. He was a somebody. And he had a daughter. And if you are a daughter of a somebody, that makes you a somebody, too. At least in terms of the opportunities you are given and the things of this world you can enjoy.

She was a little daughter, a young girl, daddy’s girl, the apple of her dad’s eye. We don’t know how old she is but she is young, somebody with their whole lives in front of them, full of potential and opportunities. The world was hers for the taking and she had been given a major head start by virtue of the family she was born into. She was well on her way to becoming a somebody.