American Idol

American Idol

Sitting at a lunch table with some college officials recently, one said, “Dr Morris, when did you realize you were a good business man?” I said, “The day I was born.”

I don't want anyone telling me he is a conservative unless he knows how to conserve, how to save. Whether it is money, food, water or even caring for his clothing. Abraham Lincoln polished his own shoes, even after he was in the White House. I never leave the house unless my shoes are polished...my shoes never wear out. I don't want anyone to tell me he is a Christian, unless he is Christ-like. I have known very few of them. Jesus Christ was either the biggest fraud ever, in the world, or he was who he said he was. All we are asked to do is believe in Him and follow Him. Once, in a large home improvement store there was a stack of gallons of paint reduced to a special price. Knowing I will always need paint, eventually, I usually buy any “on sale”. When we got to the line of cash registers with the cart containing my purchases the cashier did not charge me the sale price for the paint. You know there is a reason why most cash registers are covered with lewd magazines, razor blades etc... They don't want you to see what they are charging you. They want your eyes distracted to salacious headlines. This old man does not fall for these merchandising tricks. I pay attention to what I am charged. I said to the young girl, you are not charging me correctly for those 4 cans of paint. I went back to the display took down the sign, and brought it to the cash register showing the correct price which there were advertising in the store. I caused much commotion which caused the manager to come over and straighten out the entire matter. He said, “The price in the computer has not been changed.” I said, “Yes, I have encountered this type of merchandising before.” I said, “I rode into New Orleans once where I was on a speaking engagement one time with some shyster-merchandisers from this same store chain and they talked all the way in about their clever methods for making money off stupid people.” When I returned to the house, my young university student driver said, “You really embarrassed me at that store about the paint.” I said, “You are fixing to get embarrassed more right here in front of all my neighbors because I am about to beat your tail with my white cane.” Of course, he took off running. My young driver, like most of America's young people, thinks they are America's Idols. The reality of real living, real life, real people is about to hit them. They will realize that political correctness and popularity will not put food on the table or expensive gas in their car.

Everyone is betting their lives on something cheap, a good price on education, a gratuitous look, making money go as far as possible in everything. The most enticing four letter word in the human vocabulary is SALE. The second most enticing word in the human lexicon is FREE. In Manhattan, there are stores that have “going to of business sales” on their windows for many years. Each day, in the worlds great cities, New York, London, Paris, there are as many tourists as resident citizens. Stores know human nature and are willing to take advantage of anyone at least once.

You are the star of your own show. Everything about Jesus was based on perfection. He was the one and only God-man (God Incarnate, putting on a tent of human flesh, born as a baby, growing up and living among us, showing us the example of righteousness.) Then as now, people preferred a thief. The thief, Barrabus, returned to his thieving in the streets. But, Our Blessed Lord, was hung naked, beaten and bleeding on a cross, having been defiled by church leaders and church money.

Millions in the world worship Mohammad. If a mother names her male son Mohammad, the son is assured of Heaven (now you understand why so many Muslims are names Mohammad). Likewise, suicide bombers are assured of Heaven just by their willingness to destroy self in order to destroy others. Suicide bombers are honored as idols. Proverbs 20 tells us of the importance of dealing with wise men.

Conditions have changed, technology has changed the world, but human nature has never changed. Walk down any street, ask any number of people, 85% will tell you that they believe in God. It is like asking a person, “what is a Christian?”. You will get the answer every time, the Christian does not dance, drink liquor, smoke drugs. Most have no idea about the reality of Christianity or the reality of God. Even Adam and Eve made themselves some aprons of leaves. When asked why by God, “because we are naked”. God asked, “who told you you were naked?” (Genesis 3:11). God is omnipotent (all knowing), God is omniscient (always present), God is sovereign (in charge of everything). Why is is that people think they can play games with God? Church pews and even most pulpits are filled with believers who think they have God fooled. God despises idol worship. We have all heard the joke about the man who said, “my wife thinks I am an idol...she puts burned offerings in front of me each day”. The Ostein's and Obama's of the world thrive from their followers laughing, clapping from their every word, politicians and preachers thrilled by admiring glances. Humility is still one of mans greatest characteristics. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith (Galatians 5:22). Don't confuse celebrity with success. Think of Madonna and Helen Keller. Think of The Beatles and Fanny Crosby. Helen Keller, blind and deaf from birth traveled the world thrilling thousands through an interpreter since no one could understand her speech. Fanny Crosby, blind from birth wrote 8,000 of the world's greatest hymns. On Aunt Fanny's tombstone, these words from Christ, “She hath done what she could” (Mark 14:8). This, he said about the woman who poured the expensive ointment on him. We look for idols among those blessed with talent, opera, surgery, hitting a ball. But God looks for faithfulness (Hebrews 11), whether in a widows offering or in apostles willingness to walk over the Himalayas after the cataclysmic experience of the resurrection to carry the gospel to India (Disciple Thomas).