I have wondered for some time why we in North America (as well as in other places of the world) are so obsessed with entertainers and other celebrities. Many follow their every move and find great joy in learning all about their latest live-in lovers, divorces, etc. Admittedly, not all celebs practice such behavior; but it seems those who don’t do not receive much attention from the press or, consequently, from us. I think I may have found the answer to my wondering.
In my devotional reading the other day I ran across these words that come from Servants, Misfits and Martyrs by James C. Howell. He says: “Traditional heroes make demands on us, but celebrities make no moral claim on us. Glittering stars in our culture merely feed our narcissism, our love of self, our addiction to everything society finds pleasurable. No one ever asks how our constant exposure to the rich and famous is supposed to make us good or wise or faithful . . . . But heroes – saints – stretch our imaginations . . . calling, wooing us into a higher, holier life.”
In the same book, the author goes on to talk about saints as those who “at the end of the day are not really strange . . . . they are simply real or normal. They actually are what we all are made to be, what we can be.”
I pray that we might all seek to emulate saints and be saints ourselves. I am concerned that society’s “enamorment” with folks who live undesirable lifestyles will lead us and our children into paths that God does not choose for us. Let us as individuals and as a congregation do all we can to be saints and to guide and teach our children and youth and others around us in the way “in which they should go.” They will listen only if they see us walking the talk.
What magazines and books do they see us reading? What T. V. programs do they watch us watch? What places of entertainment do they see us patronize? Where do they see us spend our money? In what ways do they see us spend our time? In other words, what are our priorities? Others are watching.
In Philippians 4:8 we read: “Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” I couldn’t have said it better myself!
The beginning point of all this is worship as we come together to praise God each week and to begin, for the week, our concentration on those things that are worthy of praise. This Sunday, June 15, the Rev. Ed Carter will be preaching for us in our traditional services. We will be celebrating with Ed the 50th anniversary of his first sermon, which he preached in our sanctuary 50 years ago. I hope to see you Sunday.
- Jim Whedbee
