Have you experienced the pressures of tall poppy syndrome?
People want to keep you down or are hurtful, there is envy and fear especially if you excel or want to go beyond the status quo?
With countless articles out there, what can you do that actually works?
In Judges chapter 6 Gideon found peace with God as we do in Christ and beat his fear to tear down his father’s altar to the false god Baal and establish a new altar for God.
Similarly, I feel God wants to tear down this ‘tall poppy’ culture and replace with what’s right. I want to propose that ‘Pristine poppy condition’ is meant to displace ‘Tall poppy syndrome.’
My picture attached, reveals how ‘Pristine poppy condition’ can work for you.
Firstly, some background, Jerusalem had been destroyed, many perished, and the Jews were exiled to Babylon as captives. The Babylonians sought to socially engineer God’s people to become like their own and completely cut off their own culture.
It was a proverbial ‘tall poppy’ land in Babylon. Daniel had to excel in his learning to have a chance to be a leader. Being a captive and being seen as an idolator he would have been utterly despised especially if he excelled.
And Daniel did excel mightily. And he did it by beating tall poppy syndrome. Similarly, as believers we are meant to be in the world, but not of the world and yet influencing the world. There aspects are fundamental to pristine poppy condition.
Firstly, Daniel won over his captor and enemies with his love despite his humble position. His supervisor allowed him to eat an alternative diet despite risking being beheaded in doing so. Why would he do that?
Tall poppy says, despise those who hurt you, but pristine poppy mindset says, accept and embrace others, appeal, and show empathy. Loving others disarms tall poppy.
Secondly, we must understand that loving others flows essentially from how we love ourselves. We project our fears and insecurities on to others, especially when we are stuck in feeling of self-contempt.
Daniel was a pristine poppy, see his face glow in this picture? How did he retain his dignity and take the high ground of loving others and himself despite all the bad that had happened?
Finally, ultimate reason for that love. Daniel loved God. The bible says, we are to love God with all our hearts. In Daniel chapter 1 we read that Daniel chose not to defile himself and eat the king’s food. He move in faith.
At the end of ten days his countenance was of pristine health, he blossomed into that pristine poppy condition. Daniel excelled mightily, and Daniel chapter 1 verse 20 says, “In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.”
He kept his eyes on God not on people that envied him. He did his thing for God. Jesus said, ‘the path to life is narrow and few find it.’ Are we walking in love and obedience to God?
What is the most important part of this picture? The bright and blazing torch. God wants to make a blazing torch for the world that glorifies him. This is why Jesus died to save us and reveal God’s love.
Eventually, Daniel became the governor of the land. God exalted him for his kingdom sake.
Friends, love God so you love yourself and will love others powerfully. A dark world is in need of the light.
Mark Rusic was born in Melbourne and has a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering. He became a missionary to many, suffering hardship and poverty on Madura Island in Indonesia, in 1990 for about four years. He worked as a pastor-life coach with Hope International Ministries from 2002 to May 2023, playing a key role in raising up leaders and elders for the local Melbourne Hope church, which lead today. Mark has also been active in conducting yearly trips to remote Indigenous communities, bringing teams for training and outreach, which he initiated from 2015. He also established a salt and light ministry to empower saints of influence in the marketplace from 2017.
Mark is also an artist and an author and has written two books which are both a collection of his own paintings, photography, and poetry. These include ‘Iconic Melbourne of Australia’ and ‘Iconic Animals of Australia- With a voice to release your giant potential within,’ which are available now on booktopia.com.au and at leading book retailers. He has been counted among some of Australia’s best authors on several occasions through Dymocks since 2014 and continues to be a motivational speaker in various community groups, organisations, and churches.
He is currently pioneering his itinerant ministry to bless Indigenous people and empower the body of Christ, while working as an artist, author and speaker.
