A couple of weeks ago, Abby and I were driving home from school and she asked when we were going to join the local astronomy club. She said she wanted to join quick so she could tell the people there that the Bible proves that “the Bang” is fake.
I smiled and said, “What verses are you going to show them to prove it?” She then pointed to a little gray NIV Bible we keep in the car and opened it up to Job 9:9:
He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.
She has of course seen all these three of these constellations in the night sky and made the connection that so many of us have trouble making — that God actually made the stuff, not some random Bang 15 billion years ago. We may say that we believe God created all this, but to approach it with child-like faith — that is something most of us “grown-ups” have trouble with.
For a brief moment in the car that day, I was humbled by an 8 year old little girl and realized that what her parents are preaching to her is getting through and slowly but surely molding her heart for Christ. Definitely a proud day moment.
14
May 09
Separating From the World
After watching American Idol last night, I am ashamed to admit that it has taken me this long to finally ban the show from my house. It is the embodiment of worldliness and is inconsistent with a Biblical worldview. For some time now I have had reservations about allowing my family to watch the show, but they liked it and I am cautious not to be a “tyrant” of legalism in the name of holiness.
However, the line must be drawn here. Everything from the songs that are chosen, outfits of the contestants (and judges), remarks of the judges, and particularly the guest performers go against what I know that Bible to teach about believers coming out and being separate from the world. But really, could I expect anything else? I mean, American Idol is the world’s party and for them to behave any other way would be impossible.
It is not a family show and it is not really a singing competition anymore either. As I watched it with my family last night, I said to my oldest daughter, “Abby, this is a picture of the broad way that Jesus talked about in Matthew 7.” Many will go this way. I do not want my family to be on the broad way. We belong to the narrow, the hard, the tight way — the way that Jesus said few will find.
American Idol does not represent that “way.” Other changes are no doubt soon to come.