When you were a child, who did you want to be like and why? Was it a parent? Perhaps an older sibling? Maybe a grandparent, an uncle or an aunt? Was it the man down the street who worked on cars and showed you how to change oil, breaks, and rotate tires? Was it the lady around the corner who always had sweets in her house for all the kids? Was it that elderly couple whose own grandchildren lived thousands of miles away so they adopted you as their very own which was very beneficial especially during birthdays and Christmas. Maybe it was that teacher, guidance counselor, or school administrator? Could it have been one of the deacons, or pastors or Sunday school teachers at your church? Think about it, who was it that you really wanted to be like? Who was your role model and why?
Ok…. Now, who does your children want to be like? Are they trying to dress like Beyonce? Are they desiring to live the ridiculous lyrics of the not so talented (in my humble opinion) of Niki Minaj? Do they want to smoke weed all day like Waka Flaka (rumor has it that he may be looking to hire a “blunt roller” for him and his entourage at an annual salary of $50,000)? Are your children wanting to be like some of the athletes who seem to live troubled lives off the football field, off the basketball court, off the putting green, outside of the boxing ring and so on? Do you know? Riddle me this; are you a good role model or a bad role model for your own child or children? Are you depending on these athletes and entertainers to be role models for your children?
Let me help you with your answer by asking you this; what are you listening to? What are you watching? Who or what is influencing you as an adult and a parent right at this very moment? Do you have a multi-million dollar role model that in all honesty; in charter, humility, and integrity is not worth the rubber bands that they wrap around their cash wads? Let me frame this in a more biblical way: Has your model, that which you would like to be like or become, is that person, place or thing now your idol?
Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing
2 Peter 2:15 (ESV)
I wonder if sometimes we hurt our children because of the models that we follow? I think that we as adults, hinder our children other children, and even some adults that we have influence with by the models we follow and the idols we have made for ourselves. Athletes, and entertainers have a responsibility, I believe to model good behavior, good morals, they should establish a good reputation because not only are children looking at them but their are some adults looking at them also. Is not it more important for the leaders in the church to be better models then those in sports and entertainment. If Floyd Mayweather is preaching the money making gospel then why is the Preacher’s of L.A. preaching that same stuff? If Oprah is preaching a live your best life now message than why is Osteen and Jakes preaching the same thing? Is not there something wrong with that picture? Is not that message tainted and not the Gospel? Yes, yes it is tainted and it is not the Gospel…. They have foresook the RIGHT WAY and like these false teachers in Scripture they have followed another and more corrupt way. Yet, these are our multi-million dollar models for ministry!!! But why? I think it is because, even in the church we have made bad models the model and those models are quickly becoming idols.
A loving parent, at all and any cause will protect their children from dope dealers, gang-bangers, pimps, perverts, and predators. That is just the nature of good parenting. However we will always have the young kid who looks up to the dope-boys with big trucks, stylish sneakers, and seemingly endless money on hand but we all know, that is not the right way and a loving parent will do what needs to be done so that their children will not acquire for themselves that type of role model because their end is destruction. If we don’t want our children following the things and the wrong people for all the wrong reasons then why do we? Our children don’t follow false teachers we do. Our children follow us, so why lead them the wrong way!!! Don’t be mislead brothers and sisters, yes some of these individuals are multimillionaires but they shouldn’t be our models:
But false prophets also rose among the people, just as their will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
2 Peter 2:1-3 (ESV)
You read the paper, watch the news and dialogue via social media so you see the things that are going on with some athletes and some entertainers; it is obvious that, I believe the much smaller but perhaps less popular really aren’t being good role models when they should be. As a result people are buying into their lifestyle as if it is the right way and it’s not. Unfortunately the same thing seems to be happening in the church and the same thing happening in the world surely should not be happening in the church. Scripture does not hesitate to warn us though (just as their will be false teachers among you). Now if we as adults, parents, maturing believers don’t want our children to have bad role-models in the world why do we embrace them in the church? Is it because we as adults, parents, and carnal Christians have accepted their multi-million dollar status as what a role model should be? Beloved just like we need to be aware of that foolishness among rich athletes, entertainers, and others we also nee to be aware of worldliness in the church!!!
Grace & Peace
Deryk Hayes's Blog 