Do you ever turn on the television and then wonder why you even try to watch it when you that something will inevitably flash across your screen and you’ll have to turn it off?
Me too!
But this past Tuesday, I decided to take a brain break, so I flipped on American Idol just in time to watch a young lady who had just celebrated her 18th birthday. She sang a song I hadn’t heard before and I really couldn’t make out the words she was singing…but she did have a nice voice.
And then it was time to hear the judges’ reactions. Harry Connick, Jr. was on deck to deliver his musical words of wisdom. But instead of focusing on her vocal talent, he honed in on her heart and asked her to speak the first line of the song she had just sung.
And then he asked, “Is this really what you want to be singing about?” “Really?”
(FINALLY! Someone who was willing to ask a hard question! FINALLY! Someone who wasn’t so worried about being politically correct that they shied away from controversial comments.) In my heart I was shouting, “GO HARRY!”
I didn’t know the words of the song until after Harry asked her to speak them out loud. Very sensual, very sexual, and anything but empowering to women.
And sadly enough, the young lady said, Yes.
In a day when anything goes and there are no moral absolutes, and kids are growing up with Honey Boo Boo and Pretty Little Liars, we find our children growing up with a sincere lack of character.
But someone needs to be willing to ask the hard questions. Someone needs to be willing to risk their own popularity for the sake of the population of kids coming up and giving themselves away one choice at a time.
Someone needs to be willing to help kids consider the choices they are making, the direction they are going and the consequences of what they are doing.
Harry Connick, Jr. has been in the business long enough to know that his questions would come with criticism. The next day, the headlines read, “Harry Connick, Jr. Shames Emily”.
But Harry didn’t shame her, he simply made her think about who she was choosing to become. It’s a question I hope her momma asked her.
Whether our children have dreams of becoming a star, a teacher, or a banker, it is their character that will sustain them. And no applause, no limelight, no fame is worth losing who you are for the sake of some so-called success that may leave your wallet full but your soul empty.
So, I had several takeaways from last week’s episode of American Idol and Harry Connick, Jr.’s question…
1. Just because our culture embraces something, it doesn’t make it right and it doesn’t mean everyone agrees…not even everyone in Hollywood agrees.
2. We need to be more concerned about the next generation than we are about being accepted and politically correct. Our moral absolutes have been lost somewhere between our lack of concern and our fear of challenging the status quo.
3. Every mom should be willing to ask her children questions that will shed some light on their children’s hearts…and children need to discover how the choices they make today will become the sum of who they become.
SOOOO…this momma says KUDOS to Harry Connick, Jr.!
Is this what you really what you want to be singing about?
Is this what you want your life song to be about?
Is this really what you want your life to be about?
Is this really who you want to become?
Is your heart really intent on becoming what your choices are making you?
What questions are you willing to ask your kids? Why do you think it’s important to ask questions that will pull back the curtains on our kid’s hearts rather than just deal with their behavior?
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2014 M.O.M. Conference ~ BETTER TOGETHER
July 31st – August 2nd,
Jacksonville, Florida at Trinity Baptist Church
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