They went out from there and passed through Galilee. But Jesus did not want anyone to know, for he was teaching his disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man will be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise……..” Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other.”” Mark 9:30-31, 49-50 NET
https://bible.com/bible/107/mrk.9.31-50.NET

Jesus, God in the flesh, was on a mission to complete His Father’s assignment. He did not come here to do His will but the will of Him Who sent Him. Popularity and approval were not the indicators of success for Jesus’ mission. Success was determined by living perfectly according to the Word of God to perfectly fulfill His will, which was His becoming the Savior of the world through the offering of His life in exchange for ours. Popularity and approval were detrimental to His mission, for too many of these things might cause the people to keep Him from doing the will of God. We need this same mindset. We live too much for popularity and approval. We often use these things to measure our success both in business and personally. God in Jesus taught us that what men approve, God rejects, and what people love, God despises (Lk 16.15). The will of God for us is expressed in the Great Commission, the mission of every Christian. Giving ourselves wholly and entirely to seeking and saving the lost and teaching obedience to everything Jesus commanded will not make us popular or result in mass approval. It will lead to the salvation of some, changing their eternal destiny, pleasing God Almighty, Who greatly rewards the worker faithful at His assignment. The Christian who bears fruit is pleasing to God, but he who bears no fruit will be chastened and burned with fire, receiving at most their salvation though barely and at worst being rejected altogether. Loving God and loving our neighbor is best expressed by connecting ourselves with our neighbor in a right relationship with God. Not popular among men but celebrated in heaven.