As many of you know, I work at Starbucks and my typical start time is at 5:00 AM. Getting up that early, there isn't much to catch on TV besides replays of yesterday's game on ESPN, or the early morning news on CNN, which is usually pretty depressing. Typically I get up and read my e-mail and check the headlines on MSN. I know, very youth minister of me, to read the news at 4:30 in the morning, but CH Spurgeon said the two things a minister should read daily are his Bible and the newspaper.
This past week, I saw something that was absolutely shocking and well, as the title says, absolutely disturbing. It was about a website called Miss Bimbo, which is apparently an interactive role-play game where you take a character and make her famous and attractive by getting plastic surgery, taking diet pills (until the recent backlash by concerned parents), and partying. Bearing an uncanny resemblance to the great role models of Paris and Lindsay, this is yet another attack on the already fragile self-esteem of pre-teen adolescent girls. It's bad enough that there are shows like "Dr. 90291" and the countless specials done on people who have had plastic surgery and it "changed their lives," magazines which depict the "perfect" body (which has been airbrushed and edited as well), and Barbie whose proportions are physically impossible.
The purpose of this blog is to plead with parents to be mindful of what you let your kids do online, and that there are many things out there which can rot the minds and self-image of your children.
It is also an empassioned plea for students, especially girls, to find their satisfaction in Christ. The psycho-babble of our day cries out for you to feel better about your self-esteem, but I want you to feel good in your Christ-esteem. When things get hard, think about who you are in Christ: a child of God, friend of Christ, super-conqueror, heir of heaven and earth, private audience anytime anywhere with the God of Heaven! Isn't this so much better than being famous or popular, it is so fleeting. Look at Britney Spears, once the hottest ticket available, she is now a joke and a desperate clinger to her former glory.
Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, not things on earth which will rot and decay. Fame goes away when someone else comes around, popularity disappears after someone else comes around, partying comes with a price, dating around leaves you feeling empty. But Christ gives you water that satisfies your deepest thirst, gives you purpose and hope.
Jeremiah says that the Lord has plans for you, plans to prosper and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. Trust Him with where your life goes, and don't look to Hollywood for your ambition. Girls, know you're beautiful just the way you are, any boy who wants you to change isn't worth your time, and your Heavenly Father created you just as you are and loves you more than you can know.
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good post homie.
ReplyDeletethere's a great website that goes into a great deal of depth about these issues and daily has articles culled from around the world dealing with adolescent issues. it's cpyu.org (center for parent / youth understanding)
recently on that site, they linked up to another article (LA times maybe) that discussed how raunchiness has been confused with confidence, and self-esteem is measured by how many boys check you out - so girls were going to great lengths to make that happen. It is a very good read.