When Jesus hung out with unpopular people (e.g. Samaritans [see John 4]) He did not call them “Satan,” but rather He was truly able to enjoy His experience with them. But whenever Jesus crossed paths with people trying to be popular, He did call them “Satan.” For instance, to the Pharisees Jesus says, “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. You do all your deeds to be seen by others. You’re obsessed with how people perceive you, and you’re infatuated with popularity and places of honor and the best seats (see also how Jesus’ very own leadership team indulged in this same petulance *Mark 10:35-37) and greetings in the marketplaces and being esteemed by others.” And when Jesus’ apostolic leadership team argues about their greatness, Jesus says, “Get behind me Satan! You are a hindrance to Me. You are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

Bottom line… you gotta get away from popularity. You gotta BEMIDBAR! You gotta gravitate toward the outsiders, the outcasts, the exiles, the lepers, the Mephibosheths. You gotta stop starring at “Who’s Cool” You gotta stop scanning and scrolling and studying who everybody likes. You gotta stop caring about the “places of honor” and “the best seats” (homecoming king & queen; prom; swanky houses; bonus rooms; renovations; private schools; etc.). You gotta stop caring about “greetings in the marketplaces” (getting the cool kids to like you, and pandering to the popular people). You gotta BEMIDBAR. You gotta put on camel’s hair and eat bugs with honey out in the boonies. You gotta go to Samaria. You gotta be in Lazarus’s living room. You gotta be on mountains as much as you can. You gotta walk on beaches (and water) as much as possible. You gotta take naps on boats – far away from shore – in the middle of squalls. You gotta sit with people who have been divorced 5 times and tell them everything they’re afraid to hear and watch them be hungry for it! You gotta work with people who actually want you to work with them for their joy (i.e. recovering popularity junkies). You gotta BEMIDBAR.