Miley Cyrus was all over the news after her performance at the VMAs a few months ago. It was such a popular story that CNN went with it as its lead story, despite important news like unrest in Egypt. Her performance shocked many due to the sexual nature of her dancing. A friend has told me there was an outbreak of Miley-styled pictures in high schools. For many young girls, Miley is a role model and they follow what she does unaware of how harmful it can be to them.
Just trying to get attention?
Miley has come under great criticism from the media, peers and also from the church. In this sexed-up world, this seemed to be the final straw for many people. However, I am not writing this to bring condemnation on Miley or girls who have been posting pictures or videos of them in this way. I am writing to tell girls they do not need to resort to this kind of extreme behaviour for attention.
Girls, you are deeply loved by God who meets all your needs and insecurities. You are deeply loved by God who wants your attention, and sent Jesus to bring you back to Him. You are valuable to Him.
You are made for more
The Bible speaks highly of the beauty of humanity. Humans are precious, treasured, and deserve to be treated as more than a sex object.
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27)
Humans know they are made for more than twerking, attention from the opposite sex or anything in this world. Every human is searching for purpose and meaning, and God wants us to find it in Him. But sadly, we too often try and find meaning in created things instead of the creator.
C.S Lewis sums it up well:
We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.
We could have the love, attention and affection of the God of the universe, but we settle for a peer’s approval. We settle for less instead of God Himself. You are made for more than the media’s attention, or to make money, or to get the attention of that guy or girl: You are made for God and for eternity with Him.
He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. (Ecclesiastes 3:11)
You are deeply loved!
No one wants to be used and abused. We want to be loved and treasured for who we are and not for how raunchy we can be. Miley, like all humans is a child who is loved by her Heavenly Father, a person who God created uniquely and loves her personally.
You have worth beyond measure and God showed that by sending Christ for you. God’s love is not based on performance, or Facebook likes. God’s love is secure, perfect and it cost Jesus everything to bring you into a relationship with God.
This is real love - not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. (1 John 4:10)
God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
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