“Oh wait! You actually needed more help than the makeover we gave you? We are ashamed of you now.” - America
I have been sucked into the firestorm of the Ted Williams story this week. I cannot help but see a hard reality of our media and American culture weaving its way into the story.
We were so quick to overlook any possible deeper issues in order to make ourselves look better by helping this man with a makeover, but once they cleared away the dirt, grime, and hair, they found “demons” like alcoholism and a dark past. Now the story changes.
Suddenly, the man with the golden voice is another tabloid regular, and there is an air of disappointment in the media coverage.
It makes me wonder, “Do you really think all you had to do was cut his hair and give him some new clothes?”
Today, I am wondering how many churches do the same thing. How often do we want simply to get someone “saved” without any concern to the reality of brokenness that lies underneath? Are we willing to enter into those things after the initial saving?
Suppose we do enter into someone’s broken story, are we going to react with grave disappointment as though we never expected the sin-soaked nature of humanity to rear its ugly head after they accept Jesus Christ?
No answers here…just reflection…
Dude, I could not love this more. I was so uncomfortable with all the posts about how amazing this guy is…and how he just needed a break and everything would be OK. Not true – he’s a screwup…just like the rest of us. We all need a break, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have quite a few ghosts in the closet.
Leading worship, I hear pastors talk about the worship team and say they need to be held to a different level of accountability. And they do…as leaders. But, creative people are usually the most akward people to encounter…especially when they live through emotion. In church, the emotion is played down as social awkwardness or immaturity.
It’s hard. Sometimes I think…do they know how much I’ve screwed up? How would they treat me if they did know? Are they OK with me because I am not so socially awkward? I hope this is only the beginning of Ted’s big break. My hope is that he can begin to step forward and grow out of his shell that he is in. Definitely not perfect, but headed in a new direction.
Thanks for the words. Jesse.
I worry as to whether he is going to be able to grow out of the shell. It IS a dark shell, and he has a lot of things to accept and then deal with. I am not sure he has really been set up for success; but more for the appearance of success.
I see Jesse’s love of this post and I double it. (Er, wait a min, that sounds like my dark shell is inside a casino. Nevermind.) You’re totally right about how the church can at times show more interest in the initial “makeover” as if that’s enough. Being thrust into the limelight is difficult to manage without having addictive tendencies, but now this guy has to deal with his demons AND the added stress of knowing all eyes are on him (and glaring). Poor dude.
yes indeed! Thank you for the stop by and comment.