Some obeservations on Celebrity

Something to confess before I write the rest of this….. I got to shake Willie Nelson’s hand in February, 2003, and rank that as one of the greatest days of my life.

We haven’t had cable TV in years, but since I’m in a hotel room a few times a week I get to flip through the channels on a regular basis. Most of the time I flip through and am reaffirmed in our decision not to have cable. I usually land on History or Discovery or the news, but on the way I see a bunch of stuff that makes me point at the TV and say, “That’s what’s wrong with America.” Two women and a homosexual man discussing what's in or out in fashion. Two women and a homosexual man redecorating a house. A bunch of tattooed tough guys “tricking” trucks, cars, or motorcycles. A bunch of strippers competing to win the love of FlavaFlav. Two women and a homosexual man discussing the latest celebrity gossip.
Lately, I’ve noticed lots of coverage of the Hollywood awards shows. Most of the coverage is a worship of celebrity. Even the celebrities seem to worship each other. They humbly brag about the designers of their clothes and which after-party they will attend. Then the two hot chicks and the queer discuss who looked hot and who did not.
But, this is celebrity on a grand scale. You can go to a rural school and there will be a guy or girl who is adored for their looks or athletic prowess, or despised for the same. They are the celebrities in their own piece of the world. However, young people aren’t the only ones who fall prey to this phenomenon, and it is not limited to “the world”.
There is an assisted living center in town where some folks from our church went to lead services every month or so. Every time we went there was an old woman there who would ask,“Do you know Joe Baisden?”
“No, ma’am, but I know of him,” I would reply.
“Well, Joe Baisden was my preacher,” she would say with a prideful, borderline arrogant, manner. Was her faith wrapped up in who her preacher was or in who Jesus is?
As I watched some of the Golden Globe coverage the other day, I was reminded of the times I had attended events like the Tulsa Soul Winning Workshop, and I remembered Bro. Dan Scott only half-jokingly referring to the event one time as “The Money Changers at the Temple”. It was a great opportunity to see and hear some celebrated speakers and singers of the church and I enjoyed the experience, but I could also see what Dan was talking about.
Yes, there is celebrity in The Kingdom. Saul and David were both celebrities, but Saul let his go to his head while David gave glory to God. Paul was and is a celebrity for good reason, but he also lamented the fact that some in the church were bragging about their connection to him and certain other church celebrities (I Cor 1:10-17)
So, I don’t think celebrity is all bad, though some forms of it annoy me more than others. But let us remember the words of Paul….”May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, though which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”