We’ve all heard stories.
We’ve even watched them in action on TV shows like, ‘Say Yes To The Dress’ and ‘Say Yes To The Dress: Bridesmaids.’
Most stories begin the same way. The bride-to-be selects her bridal party from a host of sisters, girlfriends, play cousins, and sorors. Those selected to be in the bridal party are usually elated and excited to participate. The bride shares her vision for her big day.
Most of the bridal party is on board with the vision, and are just excited to see the bride excited…
Most.
*Enters Bridesmaidzilla*
While everyone else is eager to serve, ‘bridesmaidzilla’ is thinking of (and possibly working on) ways to make the process (and possibly the wedding day) all about her.
Her choice of bridesmaid’s dress.
Her choice of hairstyle.
Her choice of colors.
Her desire for you to pay for everything.
Her choice of gift, bridal shower, bachelorette party.
Her. Her. Her!
Y’all get it.
Bridesmaidzilla will do anything to get (and keep) everyone focused on her.
Although you may not be an actual bridesmaid, you may be guilty of being (or slowly becoming) a bridesmaidzilla.
If you are a Christian working to build a brand, business, career, ministry, music, non-profit, etc., there will always be a temptation to make everything about you.
How you may ask?
Self-promotion.
But don’t you have to promote to build a brand, business, career, ministry, non-profit, etc?
Yes.
However, ask yourself these questions:
- Who are you pointing your audience to?
- Is your self-promotion preventing the Groom from connecting with his bride?
If you’ve found yourself obsessed with your brand, your business, your ministry, your mission, your vision, your. Your. Your!
I need you to look in the mirror and say, “Hey, Bridesmaidzilla!”
I, too find myself fighting bridesmaidzilla tendencies. Fighting the temptation to watch 
every video or listen to every podcast related to building pretty much anything in this social media, personal platform obsessed culture.
Fighting well-meaning advice from people telling me what I should do to get my face and or name, “out there.” Fighting the temptation to absorb the ideology that success is found in likes, subs, follows, re-tweets, analytics, algorithms, DM slides, networking, constant content, going live, and booking engagements.
I have to (and the Holy Spirit is always willing to remind me! ) that although the secular model of success suggests these things, the biblical model encourages a different approach.
I think John the Baptist was an amazing example of how we can avoid being or becoming bridesmaidzilla.
In John 3:22-36, both Jesus and John the Baptist were baptizing at the same time.
- Reflection: Is your mission in alignment with Jesus’ mission?
As baptisms continued, an argument between John the Baptist’s disciples and a Jew ensued.
‘So John’s disciples came to him and said, “Rabbi, the man you met on the other side of the Jordan River, the one you identified as the Messiah, is also baptizing people. And everybody is going to him instead of coming to us.”’ John 3:26 NLT.
- Lesson: Check your followers. Are they so wrapped up in following you that they’re completely missing Jesus?
John the Baptist’s disciples tried to hype him up to create conflict and competition.
How many times have we seen this on social media? Comment sections flooded with posts from followers trying to create ‘beef’ that does not exist?
No worries in this situation. John the Baptist quickly set the record straight.
‘You yourselves know how plainly I told you, ‘I am not the Messiah. I am only here to prepare the way for him.’ It is the bridegroom who marries the bride, and the bridegroom’s friend is simply glad to stand with him and hear his vows. Therefore, I am filled with joy at his success. He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.’ John 3:28-30 NLT.
John pretty much spent the rest of the chapter reiterating this point.
John the Baptist saw himself as the one who attends to the Bridegroom.
He knew his role and played it with gladness.
Self-promotion can become a turn-off. Make sure your efforts to build a platform are not interfering with the bride meeting her Bridegroom.
To kill your bridesmaidzilla tendencies, simply make sure ‘He becomes greater and greater, and you become less and less.’
‘Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good.’ Psalms 127:1 NLT.
Just for laughs! #girldontdoit #GordonGartrelle
Different by Design 
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