The ‘happy high status’

I was 15 years old when I first spoke in public. I had decided to get baptised on Easter Sunday and a few days earlier, we had to stand up and publicly share our faith in front of our friends. I was nervous and unsure of what to say and had a few notes typed up on one side of A4. I did not feel cool enough or confident enough to stand in front of a crowd and speak. It was such a long time ago that I can’t even remember what I said, but we were invited to share again after we got baptised and I distinctly remember speaking from the heart, completely unscripted, about how real Jesus felt and the power of his love. Something had changed in this shy teenager post-baptism; she became confident not in herself but in God and this gave her the courage to be herself, to be honest and to be led by the Holy Spirit. 

A confidence that springs from identity

In 2018, I read the stand-up comedian Viv Groskop’s book How to Own the Room (Transworld Publishers), a book on “women and the art of brilliant speaking”, as the subtitle states. She theorises that people who have a strong sense of identity and self, ie those who know who they are, communicate with confidence, authority, authenticity and impact. That it’s not so much about content but about presence. Just think of women like Angela Merkel, Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Obama and Greta Thunberg. They know who they are and they’ve got something to say. 

There’s a concept in the book called ‘happy high status’ that, according to Groskop, is critical for effective public speaking. Happy high status is where a person knows their inherent value and worth, and can embody confidence, likeability, composure and grace. When you develop happy high status, you have an assured self-acceptance and an ability to project openness and generosity. These qualities are universally exemplified by great public speakers. When it comes to public speaking, it’s not an equal playing field for women; we often have to overcome structural and systemic inequalities, different pressures and unfair standards and expectations. 

John: a man who knew who he was – and wasn’t

I have always been fascinated by John the Baptist. He was longed for and desired by his ageing parents, his birth was prophesied and miraculous, his life was set apart to be great in God’s sight and he was filled with the Holy Spirit before he was even born (see Luke 1). John was a bit of a character; he was a leading voice in the nation during the time of Jesus but did not come through the established channels, which upset the religious gatekeepers. You could say he was a bit of a disruptor. He didn’t care about what other people thought or the status quo. He wore camel’s hair and a leather belt, and ate locusts and wild honey. All of these were symbols of his prophetic role, lifestyle and calling. He lived a life of simplicity and devotion and his mission was to call people back to God and to prepare the way for somebody else. 

I guess you could say John knew who he was (and who he wasn’t) and he had something to say. John was a bit of a trendsetter and forerunner. He didn’t follow the crowd, he wasn’t afraid of the crowd and he was able to draw a crowd because he was fearless with his words. The role of the prophet is to reveal God’s truth, purposes, word and will to his people. The prophetic tends to spring up when the gap between what we profess (what we say we believe) and what we practise (what we do) begins to grow. In my humble opinion, the coolest thing about John was his humility and boldness. He knew he was not the hero of his own story; his life was about pointing people to, and making the path straight for, Jesus (John 1:23)

John said that he was unworthy to untie Jesus’ sandal straps (John 1:27). What does that mean? In that culture, to take off someone else’s sandals was the lowliest task reserved for the most junior slave on the bottom of the ladder. The person who had this job had no social status and was a nobody. John understood who Jesus was and recognised how unworthy he was to perform even the lowliest of tasks for him. John declared that Jesus is the Son of God who takes away the sin of the world, who baptises with the Holy Spirit and is God’s chosen one (John 1:29-34). The source of John’s authority and his ‘happy high status’ came from God. John knew he was not the Messiah; he was simply a voice calling in the wilderness. When he spoke about Jesus, the power of God would flow through him. He lived a bold, brave and beautiful life.

Remember who you are

The shy teenager who got baptised eventually grew up and God opened up opportunities for her to speak publicly about her faith in Jesus in front of more people than she ever dared imagine. I have to admit that the nerves and unworthiness never really ever fully leave you – but neither does Jesus. What’s my top tip for finding your voice? Remember who you are. You are a child of God and your ‘happy high status’ is hidden in Jesus. You don’t need to be the hero of your own story. Make your message and motto about something bigger than yourself and your own agenda. If you make your life about Jesus, he’ll give you something to say. Be yourself, be honest and be led by the Spirit.