When I first heard the phrase ‘Tall Poppy Syndrome’ I assumed it was something a gardener might complain about. ‘Better bring the shears!’ But I quickly realised this isn’t a horticultural issue. It’s a heart issue.
Tall Poppy Syndrome is the tendency to resent, criticise or cut down anyone who stands out – anyone who grows a little taller, shines a little brighter or succeeds a little further than we do. It’s the impulse that says:
‘Who does she think she is?’
‘He’s getting a bit full of himself.’
‘Let’s bring them down a peg or two.’
It’s Not New
The phrase itself was coined in 20th-century Australia – a nod to the cultural suspicion of anyone who dares to rise too high above the crowd. It’s the national motto of the insecure: ‘Don’t get too big for your boots.’
But the idea goes all the way back to Ancient Rome. The historian Livy tells how King Tarquin the Proud didn’t reply when asked how to deal with his rivals – he simply walked through his garden and lopped off the heads of the tallest poppies. Message received.
How It Shows Up in the World
Someone gets promoted? ‘Wonder how that happened.’
Someone acquires a new car? ‘How can they afford that.’
Someone posts a beach photo in February? ‘Show-off.’
Social media has turbocharged Tall Poppy Syndrome. We scroll, we compare, we stew. And deep down it’s not about them; it’s about us. It’s about envy, insecurity and the unspoken fear that someone else’s success somehow makes us less.
Proverbs 14:30 puts it bluntly: ‘A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones’ (NIV).
Let that sink in. Envy doesn’t just make you unpleasant, it makes you unwell.
How It Sneaks into the Church
Let’s be honest, Tall Poppy Syndrome doesn’t stay outside during worship. It finds a pew, picks up a service sheet and joins the rota.
- A guest preacher is invited and someone mutters, ‘Not much substance.’
- A new ministry grows and someone whispers, ‘We’ll see how long that lasts.’
- A neighbouring church experiences revival and another says, ‘They’re just watering down the gospel.’
Sometimes we’re not motivated by faithfulness but fuelled by jealousy, dressed up as ‘discernment’.
James 3:14-16 is clear: ‘If you harbour bitter envy and selfish ambition . . . such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic’ (NIV). Demonic? That’s not me being dramatic; that’s James being truthful.
What Did Jesus Say?
Jesus didn’t go around chopping people down. He lifted people up. He celebrated the faith of a Roman centurion, highlighted the generosity of a poor widow and said of Mary of Bethany, ‘Wherever the gospel is preached . . . what she has done will also be told’ (Mark 14:9 NIV).
Then there’s that parable in Matthew 20, the workers in the vineyard. Some worked all day. Others joined at the last minute. Everyone got the same pay. The full-timers grumbled. The landowner said, ‘Are you envious because I am generous?’ (v.15 NIV).
It wasn’t injustice that offended them. It was grace.
Three Spiritual Antidotes
1. Gratitude
Gratitude reframes everything. It says, ‘Thank you, Lord, for them and for me.’ You can’t be envious and grateful at the same time. One will choke the other.
2. Humility
Humility doesn’t mind who gets the credit as long as Jesus gets the glory. Paul says, ‘In humility, value others above yourselves’ (Philippians 2:3 NIV). When you know who you are in Christ, you don’t need to compare your height to anyone else’s.
3. Encouragement
Instead of cutting others down, build them up. Celebrate what God is doing through them. As Paul puts it, ‘Encourage one another and build each other up’ (1 Thessalonians 5:11 NIV). Be someone who cheers loudly, not mutters quietly.
Lessons and Warnings
- Lesson: The kingdom of God is not a competition; it’s a collaboration.
- Warning: If we keep chopping the tall poppies, don’t be surprised when the field is full of stumps.
- Lesson: Others’ gifts are not a threat; they’re part of the blessing.
- Warning: Envy will blind you to revival and make you allergic to fruit.
God’s not looking for critics; he’s looking for co-labourers.
He doesn’t reward fault-finding; he honours fruitfulness.
Final Thought
The world says, ‘Pull them down.’ Jesus says, ‘Lift them up.’
The world says, ‘There’s not enough for everyone.’ Jesus says, ‘My grace is sufficient.’
Let’s not be poppy snippers; let’s be poppy supporters. Let’s be the kind of people who clap when others bloom, and trust that God will cause us to flourish where we are planted.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, forgive me for every time I’ve let envy, pride or comparison settle in my heart. Uproot resentment. Plant gratitude. Teach me to celebrate others, to encourage generously, and to rest secure in who you’ve called me to be.
Make me a builder, not a bulldozer.
A supporter, not a snipper.
A worshipper who cheers others on as I grow in grace.
In your name, amen.
Grace and peace,
J.John
