The headlines are filled these days with celebrities falling from grace. Repeat offenders include Miley Cyrus, Charlie Sheen, sports stars, and a whole host of others. Sometimes it’s comical. Other times it’s tragic. Always, it’s sad.
In just one week in last year, Olympic sprinter, Oscar Pistorius, who gained fame showcasing his world-class speed while racing on carbon fiber prosthetic legs, was arrested for the murder of his model girlfriend. He’s now on trial. Country star Mindy McCready committed suicide following years of personal troubles. Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. pleaded guilty to misusing hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign funds to subsidize his lifestyle. I recall being moved by Pistorius‘ story of overcoming adversity. I also remember listening to McCready’s songs when I was in college. I may have even had her CD. How the once mighty fall, sadly, tragically, but not surprisingly.
It is critical to never confuse a person’s accomplishments with their character. I am not judging Pistorius, McCready, or Jackson – I know very little about them. Their public persona was apparently very different with who they were away from the cameras. In McCready’s case, her life unraveled in the media over years for all to see. The bright lights of fame and power do not always illuminate the cracks in the facade.
The Soundness of the Ship
Before sailing, engineers will test the integrity of a ship’s hull. Are there any invisible cracks or weak areas? If so, over time the stress of the weight of the ship and water pressure will cause the hull to fail.
The same is true for us. Without integrity – an alignment of thoughts, words, and actions – we too will fail under the stress of our career, raising a family, and the temptations of our culture. If who we are in private is different that what the public sees, then eventually we will be exposed. A duplicitous life will be found out.
I write this as a warning to myself as much as anything. Although I try to be a genuine person, I know that–as a human–I am capable of the same thing. Take this blog: am I living out the same words that I write? Do my thoughts, actions, and words all align? Do yours?
Something motivated each of these individuals to succeed in their vocation, whether it was a desire for wealth, fame, significance, or acceptance. That something, however, eventually failed them. I submit that if our motivation to success is anything other than to fulfill the purpose for which God made us, and to give Him glory in the process, we will eventually find ourselves to be unfulfilled and headed for our own fall.
Rather than judging the mighty who fall, a better response is to pray that they will replace what motivates them with the One who saves. We would do well to examine our own motives, as well, to ensure we seek God’s glory and not our own.
So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31 NLT)
Very good. It’s all about the heart motivation behind our actions.
(not sure if this posted the first time, so I’ll do one more)
Jeff,
Send me an email. We don’t do GP or FB. richardjchildress at gmail dot com
– Rick