If I Could Sit Down with Miley

For the last 24 hours both my Facebook and Twitter feeds were taken over by one thing... Miley Cyrus' performance at the VMA music awards.  If you haven't seen it, please don't go watch, but please keep reading for the sake of awareness.

After seeing Miley's performance I debated on whether or not to blog about this.  But, I feel that this topic is too important, and that this is too big of a teaching moment not to.  I tend to get that from my Granddaddy.  He sees every moment, whether good or bad, as holding something to learn.

Again, if you haven't seen the performance yet please do not go and watch.  Above all else, do not let your children watch it.  The performance by Miley & Robin Thicke left little to the imagination and there were so many things wrong with it.  Miley has been criticized and blasted up and down social media and even major news outlet for her shocking performance.  Appearing on stage in barely there clothing with dancing to match everyone knew after watching that Hannah Montana was no more.  As I thought about the performance I thought about what I would say to Miley if I could sit down with her for 15 minutes and talk about life with her.  This is what I would say...

What happened to you?  What happened to the little girl who charmed millions of people as Hannah Montana?  Where did the blonde haired child go with a budding career ahead of her?  Where did this hardened and attention starved celebrity come from?  The performance that you just gave... what happened?

If I could sit down with Miley I'd want to know what happened to that little blonde haired girl.  Who taught you that a career of sexuality and blurred lines is something to be desired?  When did your heart get so lost that you can pull a stunt like that and not feel ashamed?

Then, I would say this...  I'm sorry that you've found yourself in a place where you feel that you have to dance on a stage in barely there clothing to get the attention that you are so desperately craving.  I'm sorry that the hole in your heart is so big that you feel the need to fill it with performances oozing with sexuality and perversity.  I'm sorry that you have found yourself on a career path that is spiraling out of control faster than you can keep up.  I know that you think that you are now a grown up, but I have to tell you.  From the performance I saw last night, all I see is a scared and desperate child who doesn't know which way is up.

This is not the answer.

Today, I am deeply saddened.  I'm saddened by the emptiness that you must feel in your heart.  I'm saddened by the countless young girls who look up to you who now think that your actions are in no better terms "cool."  I'm saddened that your career is spiraling.  I'm even more saddened that your life is spiraling away from you.

That emptiness will never be filled with "Blurred Lines" or sexuality.  That emptiness can only be filled by one thing and today despite my sadness I also find myself thankful.  I find myself thankful that I filled the emptiness in my life at a young age.  I'm thankful that I filled the emptiness not with things of the world, but with something that is bigger than this world.

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God."  -Ephesians 2:8

The most wonderful news is that Jesus will require nothing of you.  His grace is a free gift.  We don't have to dance on stage in our underwear to earn his love or attention.  He gives us his love freely although we have done nothing to deserve it.  It is a completely free gift with no strings attached.

Today, I am saddened by the emptiness that is sweeping my generation.  I'm saddened by the girls who feel that this is the way they can get the attention they so desperately crave.  I'm saddened for all of the guys who see girls as objects on a stage.  I'm saddened for all of the young girls who look up to Rock stars who have nothing to offer them.  I'm saddened that our culture has become so permeated with a culture of drugs, alcohol and sex that we have all become desensitized to the dangers that they all possess.

However, today I am also determined.  I am determined that my life is going to count for something.  I am determined that I am going to reach out to as many people in my generation as I can.  I am determined that I will not look past those who I see are hurting, but I am determined that I will be the one who reaches out to them with the grace of Jesus.  I am determined that Satan will not win this war.  My generation and the generation after me will not be lost to this world.  I will not lose the countless Miley's of this world to the darkness.

"When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, 'I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."  -John 8:12

I am determined that the darkness will not win on my watch.