In Not Of

For all of my life I have heard the constant reminder to be in this world and not of it. Instead of using this as a motivator to exemplify the life of Christ, I used it as a self-righteous motto to look down on and judge others who weren't living as "holy" as I was. I prided myself in not getting caught up in the activities that the "world" engaged in and my ability to maintain my Christian beliefs, standards, and doctrines that I had been so well taught. Even as I type this I shake my head in disappointment because had I been around in Jesus's time, He would have been speaking to me when He said, "You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean" (Matthew 23:27).
Now what does this have to do with the video embedded in the beginning of this blog? EVERYTHING. I was forwarded the link to this video and the title said that she was a "terrible role model". I watched the video and I wanted to cry. Not because I felt she was being a terrible role model but because I felt that she is caught up in an industry where there is so much pressure to maintain a certain image no matter what age you are. I wanted to cry because I looked at her face and thought, "I wonder where Miley is?" Is this the real Miley Cyrus or is it the Miley Cyrus that she needs to be in order to maintain the "success" and popularity she's accustomed to? My heart went out to her because I feel like she has so much pressure on her to be a great role model that she has no room to slip up. I know that we forget that she is only 16 years old. At 16 she is still trying to find herself- her purpose, identity, and place in this world. There are grown men and women who get caught up in the industry standards and can barely survive. Time and time again we hear of celebrities like Britney Spears, Mariah Carey, Dave Chapelle, Shia LaBeouf and so many others who go through their "meltdowns" due to the stresses of the business. How can we expect a 16 year old girl to navigate through these waters without proper guidance? I'm not saying that she is exempt from her behaviors because she is old enough to have a basic sense of right and wrong. What I am saying is that there is more to this performance than it seems.
I follow Miley Cyrus on twitter and with almost every "tweet" there is a measure of sadness/depression. One particular tweet caught my attention last week. It said, "I can't remember the last time I felt beautiful. I hate being a girl sometimes. It's all good." Even with the statement "It's all good", there is an underlying sense of coming to the conclusion that there has to be something more to life than what is portrayed. With messages like these, I am able to see another reason why Miley performed the way she did. Like so many of us, she wants to feel accepted and appreciated and sometimes that means doing things that we wouldn't normally do. When we begin to focus on the wrong things, we begin to compromise our standards and make poor decision.
For Christians who continue to tear down those who profess Christ instead of build them up I challenge you to respond in a way that would set you apart as in the world and not of it. If your response to her performance is the same as those who are "of the world" then how are you making a difference. If Miley were to make a change in her life then who could she run to if there is no grace, no forgiveness, no second chance. If we as a followers of Christ do not show mercy and speak the truth IN LOVE, how can there be change? We need to protect her as a person through prayer. We need to show her that even though there was a poor sense of judgment on her part, we do not cast judgement on her anymore than Jesus Himself would. We need to guide her as if she were our own and show her that she is still valuable and precious without the need to succumb to the pressures of society.
To Miley Cyrus: If you ever read this I want to let you know that you are a beautiful young girl who is under a lot of pressure. Everyone around you is telling you that you need to behave a certain way. I would ask you to seek God. Since you have declared Him as your Lord then trust that He will show you how to present yourself. Trust that He will lead you and guide you and protect you no matter what. Trust that He will allow you to prosper without compromising your faith and your beliefs. Thank you for crediting Him with your talents, gifts, and abilities. Make every effort to reflect Him in all you do. Remember that above all, He is the One Who should be smiling and pleased with your performances and anything less than that is no good.Please do not fall into the trap of using this as a reason to justify any past, present, or future behaviors. Use it as a standard by which you live. I love and am praying for you.