I Apologize, Miley Cyrus

 

 

“But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a millstone hung around his neck and be thrown in the depths of the sea.”

Matthew 18:6 (NIV) 

 

There was a Hannah Montana doll at a garage sale the other day and it instantly reminded me of the shocking performance at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards by Miley Cyrus, who played Hannah Montana. When all the news outlets began talking about what she was doing on stage I decided that since I worked with teens at the time, I should Google the awards program and see what the commotion was all about. My heart was broken at what I saw.

 

I was stunned by two things: first, at her sexually explicit performance on stage in front of literally millions of people, including young girls who idolized her. As I watched her, it looked and sounded to me like one huge scream from a little girl drowning in the ocean: “Look at me! Please, somebody help me! I have nothing to hold on to, I have no safety net and I’m scared. I’m sinking under the water and no one cares . . . NO ONE!”

 

And second, where were her protectors, her body guards to keep her from harm? Well, her mother was on her feet, clapping thunderously with the audience as they gave her daughter a standing ovation. Her dad, who was not present for the “performance” said that she was still his little girl and he was still her dad “regardless how this circus we call show business plays out. I love her unconditionally and that will never change.”

 

We SHOULD love our children unconditionally but my question would be . . . if you knew it was a circus, why didn’t you pull her out of the tent when she was growing up? Did you share there were lions and tigers in that circus that would rip her to shreds? As we guide and direct our children, we owe them the courtesy of saying “Precious daughter, you are not going to dress provocatively. No, you are not dating at such a young age. Yes, I say no because I love you enough to be honest with you.”

 

 I know that when kids become adults, they make their own choices. But what happened to Destiny Hope Cyrus on that journey to adulthood? That’s what her parents named her when she was born. Destiny stands for “future” and Hope means “dream.” Somehow I cannot believe that those two parents wanted to see their daughter reach her future dream on stage in underwear nor can I believe that that is what Miley herself saw as her future.

 

And yet the very people in her life – the responsible guardians of this young woman’s heart – were cheering her on as she slid under the water of despair with not one life vest thrown to save her.  But there is another part of this story that also bothers me terribly.

 

 I saw the inappropriate acting out of this beautiful young woman when she was a young girl. I saw pictures of very questionable photo shoots . . . and yet I kept on buying from her clothing line for my little girls and allowing them to watch her movies. Shame on me because I, too, looked the other way as she began to drown and I did nothing. Oh, no, wait. I DID do something. I stood on MY feet and clapped thunderously with the audience, just like her mother. How, you might ask?  I supported her lifestyle with what I bought in the stores with her name on the tag. But not anymore.

 

I will no longer watch her movies or videos or buy her clothing. I will not purchase anything that she endorses. But I will pray for her because, more than anything, I want to let this young lady named Destiny Hope Cyrus know that she is valuable, priceless, and precious to the Lord without performing in a circus. That she was bought with a price by the King of Kings because He loves her deeply as His child.

  

I apologize, Miley, for not throwing a life jacket to you and for buying tickets to see you perform in the circus. Please forgive me.  

 

Father, please forgive me for turning a blind eye to this precious child when she was searching for you. Please give me courage and wisdom to speak. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

 

 

R.A.P. it up . . .

 

Reflect

• Have you ever ignored warning signs in the life of a young person who needed direction?
• What was your reason for not speaking up or trying to help?

Apply

• Before you buy certain items for your children or yourself, double check who backs them or what person has that line of clothing, music, etc.
• If their behaviors are questionable or go against your Christian principles, look for similar items that can replace them.

Power

• Matthew 18:6 (NIV)  “But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a millstone hung around his neck and be thrown in the depths of the sea.”

 

• Matthew 18:10 (NIV) “See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.”

 

• Psalm 139:13 (NIV) “For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother’s womb.”