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ON THE MOVE

EAST WEEK #23 ~ WE NEED RIGHTEOUS ROLE MODELS NOT CELEBRITIES

In the past year I have had the opportunity to work with many celebrities and artists in the entertainment field counseling, advising and being a pastor to them spiritually. I began to ask the Lord why He had opened this unique door of mentoring artists & entertainers to me, specifically I heard God say, “I am raising up righteous role models to positively influence the next generation for My purposes.”

Why is it important to see artists/celebrities as key influencers in this generation? Because we live in a post-modern culture today that sees leadership and authority very different than the generations before it. Before postmodernism there was modernism and pre-modernism (Christendom).  Let me explain each from a Western context to make a point…

Christendom

The understanding of church that developed after Emperor Constantine made Christianity an official religion of the Roman Empire in the 4th century so that the church became a pillar of society and Christianity the dominant religion.

Modernity

The historical period that emerged in the West around the turn of the 16th century

characterized by the growing authority of science (knowledge), emphasis on rationality (epistemology), and the autonomous individual (society).

Post modernity

The period that is succeeding modernity marked by its rejection of science as the sole authority, the insistence on multiple ways of knowing, including the spiritual, and advocacy of cultural pluralism and relativism.

In pre-modernism (Christendom) the sole authority was the parents. They lived in a society where the family was the social unit and foundation of society. The Church was the basis for morality in Western cultures and the parents enforced those values to their children. In modernism the sole authority was the teachers. During this period where science, knowledge and rationality were advancing many put their trust in those who had the most knowledge. Therefore we created government, business, education and spiritual institutions around the teacher who carried superior information. Yet, when modernism proved to not have all the answers to the world’s problems (wars, diseases, spiritual emptiness, corrupt leadership, etc) the culture shifted to a postmodern society. So in postmodernism if the sole authority and leadership is not found in parents, nor found in teachers, where is it found? My conclusion is that the sole authority is found in “pop stars” or “celebrity icons.”

Think about it? Because of globalization, modern media technology, the world-wide-web, MTV and other sources, whom do the youth look to for leadership? Not so much their parents, no so much their teachers but more so, people like Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie who are helping the poor in impoverished areas. More so, people like U2 rock band lead singer BONO who uses his music as a platform to rally others to fight HIV AIDS in Africa. For instance, Barak Obama to me is a “rock star” before he is a president! Pop Stars today must realize that their lifestyles do not just have an effect on their fans, but on all of popular culture and society today.

I always tell the celebrities and artists I work with to remember what Mother Teresa once said, “You are not called to be successful you are called to be faithful to God.” I challenge them to think about their choices, their actions and how the messages they convey will directly effect future generations. I cause them to realize that whether they like it or not, they are ROLE MODELS to society. The question is whether or not they will use their influence for selfish gain or for selfless causes?

Celebrities have rights but Role Models do not have but one right. The celebrities right is to serve themselves, their ego and their selfish desires. The role models right is to serve others, because they recognize that what they say and do will influence others for better or worse.

I once heard a person quote the actor Matt Damon saying, “What is the point of being a celebrity if I can’t do something with it?”

I believe God is raising up “RIGHTEOUS ROLE MODELS” who will influence the next generation with faith, values and lives that honor and uplift the human existence. Pray for those artists/entertainers and icons that lead this postmodern culture. What does it mean to be “righteous?” it simply means to be a person who chooses to do what is right…it is being obedient to God.

Blessings,

Jaeson Ma

(I wrote this East Week article a few months back … in light of Tiger Woods, we need to pray for those who are exposed in sin and darkness, love them and not judge them. We all can stumble, but it’s God’s grace that brings us back to life. Pray for those who fall to find grace and truth in Jesus Christ!)

Recently in Hong Kong many celebrities have had to come clean with their mistakes and sins. I simply want to write this to ask everyone to continue to pray for many of the celebrities/artists who have had to face public disgrace and scrutiny. Pray that each of them can find grace, healing and restoration in their lives from devastation and humiliation. Some of these artists/public figures have professed faith in God and making an honest effort to turn a new leaf. Please remember, no one on this earth is perfect, only God is. Our faith is not in our own righteousness, but in the righteousness of Christ. The Bible says, “judge not or you will be judged.” Jesus did not come to save the righteous, but He came to seek and save the lost, the least and the last. He came to save every one of us from our sins and mistakes.

Sometimes, as Christians, as humans we are so quick to judge others but we fail to examine our own hearts. Many times, we think if someone says they now have faith in Jesus that they will become a saint over night. This is hardly the case. Walking with God is a process, change is a process and love is a relationship. God accepts us with all our mistakes, flaws and sins. We need to also accept others not for how perfect they are, but for who they are. The Bible says, “God’s grace is sufficient in our weakness.” It’s not about how perfect we are, but the Gospel is about how perfect God’s love toward us is. It’s not about what I can do for Him, but what He has done for me. We simply respond in gratitude and obedience to His extravagant, unexplainable and unbelievable love for us day after day.

Don’t expect celebrities, artists, public figures or any Christian to be perfect, but let God judge their hearts. I’ve known and prayed with many of these artists through this whole process and I can say most of them have a good heart, a real faith & I will stand with them not because they are saints, but because they are my brothers and sisters. I’ll stand with them because Jesus stood for them on the cross. I’ll stand because Jesus stood for me when I was lost. Jesus stood for all of us on the cross. He loves us so much that while we were still sinners Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).

We’ve all made mistakes and that is why we all need grace. Jesus accepted us, loved us and forgave us in our worst of sins. I have faith that God will turn these “messes into a messages.” A message that God loves every person so much that He sent His Son to die for them, and that no one on this earth is to far from His grace, healing and forgiveness. No one is too far from our Heavenly Father’s arms of love, not celebrities/public figures who have fallen, not those involved, not you, not me, for all of us in this world are loved by God. That no matter what we have done wrong, God still loves us, forgives us and accepts as we are, if we are willing to repent and turn our hearts towards Christ as our Lord and Savior.

Pray for God’s healing and grace to be poured out on those who have fallen from grace in the public eye. Pray that we as a people, a society, as human beings will be more forgiving, less judging and see every person no matter how perfect or imperfect they are as a child of God. It doesn’t matter how many mistakes I make, you make or anyone makes, everyone of us are beloved children of God. Everyone of us is someone that Jesus died for, each of us have value and significance in God’s eyes because we were created in His image. God doesn’t see our mistakes as much as He sees our hearts. We do our best to be like Christ, where we fail, His love will make up for the difference. That is grace, getting what we don’t deserve… none of us deserve God’s unconditional love, but He gives it anyways. I LOVE GOD!

Let’s put the pass behind the cross, let’s learn from our mistakes and let’s move forward together in LOVE.

Blessings,

Jaeson Ma