You Got to fight for Your Right to party
By Dean Honeycutt
Mitchell County
It is very sad today that there are very few Christian role models. I was saddened to see the drunkenness and the amount of alcohol that was present at the Kansas City Chiefs super bowl parade. One player was taken away in a wheelchair because he was so drunk. Beer and liquor were openly displayed at the parade. Pictures and videos of drunk football players are surfacing on many social media outlets. And young fans are watching the attitude and actions of their heroes. Why many Americans glamorize drunkenness is disheartening seeing that alcohol abuse is so dangerous. It takes life and ruins families. And it is like we give the NFL and its teams a pass when they win a super bowl.
At one moment the NFL organization, its teams, and many Americans are gathered in prayer asking God to heal Buffalo Bills Damar Hamlin after suffering cardiac arrest during a game. Seeking the favor and grace of a holy God who disdains drunkenness. And the next fans and players are condoning drunkenness as a way or rite of passage because of a super bowl win. One well-admired Chief player said after the win, “you got to fight for your right to party.” Is God pleased with us when we ask for His help but ignore what He says is best for us?
I am not saying every athlete celebrates by drinking alcohol after a victory. There are many Christian athletes and performers out there. But rarely do they get recognized for following Jesus. Many of them may fear speaking out about their faith because of criticism. Children are confused and do not have a proper understanding of God. God in whom we are instructed to fear. The Word of God will keep you from sin or sin will keep you from the Word of God. So many times, media professionals claim they are praying for something that has happened like a school shooting, without ever acknowledging the sinfulness that is in the world today. Americans commit unholy acts because we are unholy and depraved in sin.
Who is the one person we should emulate or want to be like? Well of course it is Jesus. Just as the scriptures teach us. “For even hereunto were you called because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps.” (First Peter 2:21) A disciple follows Jesus Christ and observes His teaching.
Role models are people we want to be like. When I was growing up a role model was usually someone who lived a good moral life. For example, the person may have been a Christian athlete. They were by no means perfect, but they conducted their life in a good way. Many fathers are role models to their children. Though my dad had many great qualities he was not someone I wanted to pattern my life after because he was an alcoholic. But all children look to adults for direction in life and examples for behavior.
As a young person matures, they will pattern their life after role models. Young people are very impressionable because they are trying to figure out how they fit into society and who they want to identify with. So, we see young boys acting like football stars, and young ladies singing into microphones like their favorite female vocalist. I was reminded of the song 19 Somethin’ by Mark Wills “I was Roger Stauback in my back yard” and every boy wanted to be Evel Knievel and jump his bike over two or three hot wheels.
So Christian mom and dad we have our work cut out for us. We find ourselves at times competing against the world and its role models. Thankfully we have the upper hand because greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world. Something that is helped our children is giving them opportunities to be around older adults who share our faith. Most of these times have been associated with church events. These older role models encourage our children and set examples of how Christians should conduct their life. We enrolled our son who loved basketball in a Crossfire basketball camp. The camp is conducted by two very strong evangelical Christians who combine basketball and the Gospel. My son really enjoyed these camps and had high regard for their leaders. They became role models for him. Of course, our greatest role model is Jesus, and when my children act like Him it does our hearts good.
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Pastor Dean Honeycutt shepherds Snow Hill Baptist Church in Bakersville, NC. He may be reached at 828-385-0213, snowhillbaptist@gmail.com, or visit their website at www.snowhillbaptist.com.
You can read more good Christian news from Dean HERE.
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