I'll be a light, I'll be a freakin' torch!

I believe that as a Christian I am called to bear the light of Jesus Christ to the world in all I do. A Christian should have Christ in his heart and mind. A Christian should bring Christ to work? Well in a lot of Christians opinions this is true if you vocation is that of a spiritual one. In the Christian community jobs that directly cater to the spiritual needs of others are viewed as "better" or "higher" callings. What about the Christian who feels called to the secular job market? Is it impossible to bring Christ to a secular industry? Can you continue to be a strong, influential, and effective Christian in a seedy, secular environment? The answer is..... Yes! Christ is the perfect example. Christ didn't come to this earth and create a holy, godly medium for him to work in. He worked in the one that was already there and stayed completely holy, virtuous, and effective in that secular medium.

You might be a little confused on what I'm talking about. I'm talking about a personal conviction. I am an actor. I have a dream that I believe is God sent. I look at the influence of major actors in our society, and then look at what they are doing with that influence and become sick. If you look at the tabloids, the t.v., or the internet you can find out all the details of any given stars life. We knew when Jennifer Anniston and Brad Pitt broke up. We found out when Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher started dating. We know the personal lives of perfect strangers and are completely interested and what are these stars doing with their gigantic and effective influence? They buy more and more clothes, they have more sex, and endorse more products. It is ridiculous! I want to be a movie star, I want money, and fame. All the Christians reading this just shook their heads at me and made some comment in their head about my misguided goals and wonder how I can believe that God would give me such lofty and secular goals. Why do I want these things? I want these things because of the influence. The Bible doesn't condemn being successful. It isn't a sin to want to be great at something. I want to be a great film actor. The side effects of being a great film actor is success, fame, and fortune.

Being rich and famous is not wrong. It is what you do with your fame, your influence, and what you do with the money that God has entrusted to you. I'll get to my point. I want these things because there needs to be Christian examples in the industries of the world that are shunned by Jesus loving Christians. I want to use my fame as positive influence. I want to use my money as a means to support those who need to be supported.Charles Colson says, " The accumulation of wealth in itself is not treated as evil in Scripture. Men like Abraham and Solomon were very wealthy." Colson goes on to say, " Scripture does, however, warn against seeking wealth as an end in itself or using oppression and cruelty as means for amassing it. Paul called "the love of money" (though not money itself) "a root of all kinds of evil". How about reading in the tabloids the latest mission trip that the famous actor went to. How about seeing a movie star who drives a normal car and lives in a house that fits the needs of his family and not a mansion that could house a small town. How about seeing an actor that is amazing on the screen and lives a life separated for God at the same time.

When did we decide that holy, obedient living was living away from the secular world? Mary Hesse writes, "There has never been room in the Hebrew or Christian tradition for the idea that the material world is something to be escaped from and that work in it is degrading. Material things are to be used to the glory of God and for the good of men". When I think about my goal to be a light to an industry that needs a Christian beacon I think about that old, corny saying, "What Would Jesus Do?" I think just like Christ didn't come to this world and rearrange the world until it was suitable for him to work in he wouldn't create a new theatre or film industry to work in. He would work in the existing one and be an effective, strong, light to that industry.

Will working in a secular industry effect my relationship with Christ? The answer is yes. Will the effect be a negative one that will ruin me? No. Definety as with all types of ministry Satan will try his best to corrupt me and to detour me away from serving people and God with my gifts and instead focus on serving myself. The temptation to serve myself, the spiritual warfare that will take place in my secular ministry will take place in my life no matter what kind of medium I choose to serve in. All that will change will be the pieces that Satan uses to tempt me and try to sway me from my mission and goal. I can't stop myself from serving in a secular industry because the chances of Satan breaking me away from Christ is greater because it isn't. The risk is the same whether I'm serving in a spiritual vocation or a secular one. When ever anybody tries to futher the kingdom of God through any means, spiritual warfare is present and Satan is there trying to stop it. Satan doesn't look at serving God in a secular versus spiritual mindset. He tries to destroy any process of furthering the kingdom of God.

Will I be able to keep my morals in contact working in a secular vocation? I believe it is completely possible. Christ did it. Christ is my example for living. Christ is living in me. It's really that simple to me.

I guess in closing I'll recap a bit on the points I was trying to make.

1.Being successful and making money is not a sin. The love of money creates all kinds of evil.
2.The Lord gives us things and expects us to be good stewards of his property. We are expected to use our good fortune to serve people and God.
3. The risk of being detoured or corrupted while I serve in a secular vocation is not greater than working in a spiritual vocation because Satan doesn't care where the kingdom of God is being furthered, he just cares that it is in fact being furthered.
4. Christ didn't come to the world and change it around to better suit his holiness so he could serve in it. He served in the world the way it was and was a strong, influential beacon of God.

And finally..
5. We are called to do the same thing Christ did which is to be light bearers to the parts of the world that needs a light.

Well there we go that is me. That's what I think. Drop me a note and tell me what you think. See ya later.