“Christ and Britney Spears do have something in common.” What?! Heresy!!! Well considering that statement came from my wife, Karen, in her Sunday School class a couple of weeks ago, I wouldn’t dare call it that (I like to sleep in the bed, not on the couch). She made this statement in an attempt to get the attention of a few of her girls (3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th grade) when they went glossy eyed during one of her lessons.
The other day I caught a few minutes of TMZ, which has recently received just rave reviews as it’s now being aired on FOX. I’m not endorsing the show, by the way, it’s not something anyone should spend any length of time watching. During this episode, however; it showed cameramen, paparazi, and reporters literally falling all over themselves to get one or two shots of this woman! I mean, come on! She was walking from the courthouse to her car, having just visited her lawyers over the custody of her kids apparantly. One guy nearly broke his neck falling over a trash can! He just got right up and kept snapping pictures like nothing happened. He was actually the one TMZ was doing the story on. Apparantly Brit’s such a hot news topic that men are willing to risk bodily injury just to get her attention or her picture. Britney, I believe dealt with the cumbersome situation by using the Lord’s name in vain and laughing under her breath and kept on walking.
Jesus Christ was put in the same situation time and time again; though I doubt he had the same amount of space in which the many camera men gave the diva wannabe. Christ, on a daily basis, was crowded as He walked from place to place. People saw that he gave what was NEEDED and they flocked to Him. Blind people heard how he gave sight, and found a way to get to him. Women who were slumped over and practically crawling from physical ailments pressed him just to touch the hem of his garment. Demon possessed folk were no doubt wrestled to be confronted by Jesus by loving friends and family members. Not to mention there was surely those normal folks who were just curious and wanted to be close to him, to see if they could “feel” the Holiness of Jesus. Add that to all of Christ’s disciples, and you have more than just a few who pressed hard to see Christ Jesus. What could have been His thoughts through such pressing crowds and issues on a daily basis for so much of His ministry? We know that Jesus had compassion, he touched and healed those who needed Him and he gave hope to those who had faith and believed in Him. What would happen if Christ saw someone who had fallen down just to get a glimpse of Him? I doubt He would have used His Father’s name in vain and walked on, but would have rather lovingly and gently picked the person up, asked if they were alright, smiled and moved on, perhaps walking with that person for a few minutes who had been humbled by an experience of “Life”.
Am I a “Britney basher?” No. I hope she follows as hard after Christ, as reporters follow hard after her some day. Though it may take her falling over (or maybe in) a trash can to bring her to that point. Brit’s had some pretty rough times here lately, she needs prayer no doubt. A thought that just occurred to me is that Christ came to save those just like her - haughty, foolish, making one bad choice after another and being too prideful to admit that anything they’ve done is wrong. We see people like Britney Spears as untouchable by Christ, a person who will never repent and never be saved. Aren’t we all like that though? Prideful and making one bad choice after another. I’m sure glad folks weren’t following me with cameras when I screwed up 100 times over. I think maybe these “untouchables” are just the public spotlight of who most of us truly are and not one of us would ever have the grace to deal with crowds and people the way Christ did.
