*Chad Jarnagin

Idol-
1. an image or other material object representing a deity to which religious worship is addressed.
2. Bible.
a. an image of a deity other than God.
b. the deity itself.
3. any person or thing regarded with blind admiration, adoration, or devotion.
4. a mere image or semblance of something, visible but without substance, as a phantom.
5. a figment of the mind; fantasy.
6. a false conception or notion; fallacy.

Lately I have identified a few unlikely idols in my life.

The pursuit of perfection, control, acknowledgment, & knowledge.

I find myself frustrated & irritated when whatever I’m involved w/ or around aren’t as perfect as they could be.

The pursuit of control will forever elude everyone of us in some degree, but that doesn’t stop me from thirsting for the very illusion of it. I find that it’s like a hand full of sand. You can control it for a while & even manipulate it by adding water, but it will eventually slip thru your hands.

Acknowledgment can be a beautiful thing, but it has a tendency to taint our motives; Playing our political cards just right to get the most of a moment in the spotlight. I’ve even had to take time away from Twitter, Facebook, & other forms of media b/c of the onslot of self-promotion, the who’s who clubs, & everyone in their mom writing a book or recording an album. I’m actually in the long process of doing both. My gut check is not in the inspiration and opportunity for these things, it’s more about the motive. My motives struggle w/ comparing the acknowledgment that others are receiving, I could be receiving as well.

Knowledge. All the education on the planet is no substitute for wisdom. I love to read, listen, & learn. There is nothing wrong in that until there is a lust for knowledge. I have to confess that on occasion that’s what I believe happens.

Maybe the urge for control has something to do w/ all the the above. So, Father, I’m trying to trust You for who You are. Thank you for loving me for who I am and not who I should be.

Not long ago, one of my updates on Twitter said “cynicism is tiring. i’m going to try to talk less, listen more; fear less, hope more; do less, rest more; whine less, breathe more.” That’s where I am right now, I’m for tuning in.

I am very sad to hear of Michael Jackson’s passing, on several levels…

He was THE artist that inspired me to pursue entertainment in the early part of my life. Growing up in the 80′s he was IT. I even danced around on the hardwood floors of my bedroom. In my opinion, MJ was the biggest entertainer of my lifetime. The fact that Thriller is STILL the biggest selling album of all time is just one of the reasons he has been a household name for 3 decades. His artistry was always ahead of his / our time.

I was one that never wanted to believe the accusations, even-though it was hard to imagine them to not be true on some creepy level. MJ’s story is one of great art, song, music, and blurry twisted disfunction… All the strange, out of the norm actions, stories, and obvious image…

Michael Jackson dead at 50 yrs of age. Crazy. Sad. Sobering. Fame’s definition seems to be irrelevant at the end of it all huh?

Perspective- Thousands of people died on the same day as MJ and Farrah. People, children out of public awareness.

I came across this as I was studying this morning… “Too many are thinking of security instead of opportunity. They seem to be more afraid of life than death…” At the risk of sounding dramatic, deaths like MJ’s should enlighten us to a urgency to live life to the full. One of the very things Jesus came to us with / for.

The thought that even the “king of pop” stood before the “King of kings” yesterday was a sobering perspective. No matter how great, talented, influential, or popular one here on the planet is, there’s always the bigger picture. What we all do with the portion of influence that we all have?