Angst And Britney Spears

I'll never forget the time in college I eavesdropped on two students while waiting for my project teammates. My team had arranged to meet each other at two o'clock to discuss the design of our database. I found out later one had to make an emergency doctors appointment and the other simply forgot.

While I was waiting I overheard two senior guys talking at the next table. They were two friends catching up on life. I suppose they were Christians.

One of the two -let's call him Todd- was saying he was doing some acting and that he wouldn't mind being famous someday. The other guy -let's call him Peter- didn't seem very impressed.

'I don't think I'd want to be a celebrity.' He said. 'They often end up regretting their decisions.'

'Like who?' Asked Todd.

'Take Britney Spears as an example,' Said Peter. 'When she started as a singer she publicly claimed that she wanted to be a role model. At a certain point in her career she decided (for whatever reason) she no longer wanted to be a role model.'

Todd rolled his eyes.

'Come on.' Todd said. 'Do you really think she was committed to doing those things she said before she changed her mind?'

Peter sighed (I couldn't see his face) and said, 'Now that is the question.

He continued: 'If I were invited to be on a talk show I think I would say a lot of things like Britney Spears. I would say how sad it is that depravity is tolerated and (in truth) encouraged by Hollywood.

'Now here is the part that scares me. Celebrities are tempted more than normal people are. What if Britney Spears was a young person like us who was just tempted a little more than we are?'

Peter continued: 'What if every person who appears to be righteous is really putting on a show while they are in truth waiting to jump into a world of evil?'

'Doesn't that sound a little like me? Doesn't that sound a little like you?'

Todd's eyes widened. For a brief second, he was frozen.

'I need to go now.' He said. Peter stayed a brief minute before leaving.

I reflected on how easy it is to look down on 'sinners'. Or at least it seems to be fairly common. As for myself, I admit that I do at times feel like that person Peter described.

And it haunts me. Is there any way out?

I believe there is.

It means daily looking into that place no one else can see and asking, "Is this what I want going on in here?".

When a person fails to keep his hidden priorities in check, the world may never learn or suspect his true intentions. But however hidden his unhappy secret is, I wonder if it is a secret from himself? Certainly he cannot hide his true self from God.

In the same way, when a person repents and cleans out all his evil desires, the world may never learn nor suspect his true intentions. But however hidden his (happy) secret is from the world, I wonder if it is a secret from himself?

Certainly God never misses such a secret.