Within entertainment, academia, industry, and even Christendom there are men and women who disappoint their supporters, sully themselves before observers, and disqualify themselves within their fields. This should be, in most cases, expected.
I find within my secular circles this occurrence is particularly hurtful to those people who receive news their favorite personality has done something reprehensible. This is usually someone they’ve celebrated, supported, and defended. They ultimately feel betrayed by a friend. They search for confirmation if it’s true and if the sources are trustworthy, but in the end they’re usually disappointed.
I’m rather indifferent toward these occurrences. I think these are sad events because the person could have done more with his life, but overall it doesn’t illicit strong emotion from me. Once, I tried to explain why to some acquaintances, but I don’t think they understood where I was coming from in my reasoning. My explanation was quite simple, however.
At bottom, we should have no expectations for people to act honorably.
If figure heads and venerated people have made no declaration of their endeavor to live by some rule, law, or code and employ means by which to stay accountable to the same, then every honorable act should be a surprise. I’ve come to this view through acceptance that all people are inherently evil and do good in spite of that disposition. As Jeremiah prophesied:
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? — Jeremiah 17:9
I don’t think people overall align with this point of view which would account for the reaction of my secular acquaintances. What’s more is these people hold public figures to higher standards than themselves. They idolize them.
When one of the Bible’s description of idols is examined some interesting connections arise. Consider the following verse from the psalmist:
“But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.” — Psalm 115:3–8
At this time and place, the author wrote of items of worship made from materials from the earth. Today in the Western world, idols are made of humans by humans. I think this is much worse than idols of silver and gold. Idols of flesh speak words, do work with their hands, and walk from place to place. But for all their advantages over idols of metal, they still make bad decisions. They have words filled with venom, misdeeds done with their hands, and feet which occupy unscrupulous places. They bring disappointment. Is that surprising?
Men and women have been made gods by the godless, yet they’re expected to maintain their godhood.
How can something or someone imbue qualities it doesn’t have onto something or someone else? They’re just as flawed as their worshipers and neither of them can resolve their sins.
I would imagine seeing a failed idol feels like a hopeless situation, but it need not be.
“That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” — Ephesians 2:12, 13
There is only one hope and he has lived up to all expectations of righteousness. He has spoken words of love with his lips, done miracles with his hands, and his feet have walked on raging seas. He is worthy of worship that exceeds the worth silver or gold.
