Miley Cyrus, the VMAs & all that comes with it
If you've logged into your social media accounts, turned on the news or just joined in some chit-chat with your friends or co-workers over lunch, then it's likely Monday night's VMA's came up in the conversation - specifically the video (that's now gone viral) of Miley Cyrus wearing next to nothing and dancing provocatively on stage. I saw this video clip being watched by my classmates at school today, but with all my being, I now wish I could un-see that video. It was disgusting and inappropriate for all audiences.
What really breaks my hearth though is the fact that a lot of the target market viewers for the VMAs are teens - there is even a photo circulating around the web of Will Smith's kids' reactions to Miley ripping her clothes off on stage, and later Lady Gaga's appearance in scraps of material. There is no message of purity or modesty in any part of this "entertainment."
The thing is, as shown by its viral status, most people justify videos like this as entertainment, or even art. We share it, tweet it, and even if there are slight expressions of shock and disgust on our face, we just can't look away.
It's okay, we say. It's just one video. Everyone is watching it.
But, that's all it takes for Satan to grab control of your heart - a tiny crack in your armor or a blink of an eye, and his poison spreads through your blood stream like wild-fire. Before you know it, you can't pray and no matter how hard you try the words on the pages of your Bible don't make sense, church seems to be the most boring place in existence and you just can't feel God.
Jesus answered them, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.' -John 8:34
On further inspection, you can't tell anything is wrong - there was no major sin you committed, lies you told or some black mark on your spiritual life, yet there is still a tinge of sadness and loss when your mind drifts to God and there is...nothing.
And when you ask God for the tenth time, Why?, and your heart humbles in submission, you remember - that ONE video - 30 seconds....one episode of that hit TV show, one song on the radio, one angry word in a moment of passion, one funny link shared on Facebook, or a gossip session around the water cooler.
That's all it takes - one word, one minute, one thought, one sin.
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - mediate on these things. -Philippians 4:8
Do all those forms of entertainment and "art" fit the above criteria? Are they noble, just, pure, lovely and full of virtue? Because those are the only kinds of thoughts that should be on our minds, before our eyes, in our ears and in our life.
Lovely thoughts - pure and innocent, just and noble. And even in her Hannah Montana days, those words do not describe Miley Cyrus. Or the VMAs. Or many of the other types of distractions that clutter my life. I write this post with a heavy heart, because I am so guilty of those "one" arguments - just this one time, one last time, one song, one episode.
Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, and revive me in Your way. -Psalm 119:37
I pray the Lord shows us what those distractions are in our lives, because I know from personal experience that once He helps you clean away that clutter, you can stand before the Lord with a pure heart and a head full of lovely thoughts.