The Tall Poppy Syndrome

On one of my trips to Australia, ministering in a church there, the pastor introduced me to what is known down under as "The Tall Poppy Syndrome." The metaphor was to compare some people to a field of poppies, where all the Poppies were beautifully uniform, except for an occasional one that stuck its head above all the rest. My pastor friend told me that in his country they often had to deal with some ministers in their group or members of their congregations would occasionally start thinking they were a bit better than all the rest and would elevate themselves above their peers, at which time the others felt it necessary to cut them down a peg or two.

We have had a marvelous example of this metaphor in the Republican presidential field, where there have been several who found themselves "leading" in the polls, only to find themselves cut down by the remaining candidates. The most dangerous place to be is at the top of the polls. Achieving that immediately places a target on whosever back was te current leader.

Jesus, in Matthew 6, warned those who practiced their religion for the praise of men, rather than the praise of God. Jesus used the word "beware"—a clear warning to those who fell victim to the Tall Poppy Syndrome.

Whether one is a politician, a preacher, a Sunday school teacher, a deacon or just an ordinary lay person, he/she should be careful not to fall victim to the Tall Poppy Syndrome. Standing taller than others in the field makes one an easy target for the Great Cultivator of all growing things.