Divine Purpose or Castles in the Sky?
By Jessica Greer
Charlie Sheen is one among many delusional celebrities these days.
His recent NBC Dateline interview served to reveal to the nation what it is like to be a glorified drug addict.
While he hardly has an appealing persona, his bizarre behavior keeps him at the top of media headlines while he maintains a popular following.
As if smoke and mirrors are not enough, the cultural travesty in faming a man like Sheen is that once again the desire of the masses is exposed.
Celebrity mania is only a symptom of the decaying social intelligence of the middle class which has created a delusional ideal for much of the youth.
Celebutantes such as Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie and of course Kim Kardashian have fashioned an idolatrous image of a fabulously famous life full of fun and funds; without rigorous hard work or morality.
American Idol is another manufactured reality whose alluring glamour appeals to the average adolescent by selling them a delusion of grandeur.
The result is that young people across the country no longer simply dream and set goals for a wonderful life; they feel compelled to fantasize about a life that cannot be attained. Women are searching for the beauty product that will magically cure their flaws so they can compare to cover girls. That beauty secret is called Photoshop!
Junior high boys want to be Lebron or Kobe, or maybe even Justin Bieber.
Media is the sole center of our society; we are always participating in popular culture whether directly or indirectly, and often our perceptions are skewed by realities that are being idolized and worshiped.
The idolatry of celebrities is America’s cultural folly, and thus follows superstition and social poverty.
The devastation of delusions of grandeur is not merely that they result in a ridiculously shallow life, but worse: they produce a life wasted by building castles in the sky.
You can walk into any impoverished area in urban America and find so many young people wearing all the garb of the pop culture they are trying to mimic.
Cultural critic Bell Hooks points out in her documentary Critical Thinking and Cultural Transformation that the youth of the Black community has been conned by media and Hollywood to identify themselves with pop culture roles in society rather than aiming for educational and sustainable social living.
Jeremiah 10:14,15 says: “Everyone is senseless and without knowledge; every goldsmith is shamed by his idols. The images he makes are a fraud; they have no breath in them. They are worthless, the objects of mockery; when their judgment comes, they will perish.”
Purpose is a life set apart intentionally for God’s service.
It is not based on self-indulgence or impulsive desires; but it is a life that attaches itself to a higher Being and a vision greater than oneself.
Purpose requires sacrifice, labor, and revelation. Only God can give us purpose because He is Creator of all.
Proverbs 19:20, 21 tells us: “Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise. Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”
God’s will for our lives is not going to follow suit with all the valued treasures on this earth. There is hope in knowing that your heart is right with God and your goals are His purpose.
Psalms 33:10-12 says: “The Lord foils the plans of the nations; He thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever; the purposes of His heart through all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He chose for His inheritance.”
Choosing higher calling over lower living is not an easy decision because it contradicts all our natural inclinations. But most of all, because we know the cultural onslaught we will face.
But you must confront them, because delusions of grandeur will oppress you. It is the plan of the devil to entice and seduce us from following God’s will for our lives.