From one era to another as history evolves, Scripture includes stories of persons who become celebrities in their generations. We find the celebrity context as part of our education about spiritual matters. A celebrity may or may not contribute substance of value to society. The current stable of celebrities gaining the greatest attention by the media is anchored in entertainment venues. Talent is often lacking even though the media fawns over them with adjectives that analysts find shallow. Celebrity status is a tricky factor. It may have nothing to do with achievement. It seems to have some connection with pride in the human race, both in the celebrity and in many persons making celebrities. Media now make common celebrities.
We believe in celebrity when it points to substance. By substance we might simplify by saying that substance means something emerges from celebrity that serves in improving life – in the development of thoughtful management of life; of advancing the context of persons in relief of distress related to the offenses of ill health, economies, wrong and suffering; of quality of life, that permits higher goals and virtue related to humanity and nature. These contexts can be extended. In my time there have been more celebrities than one might list without courting reader boredom. The point to be addressed here is to evaluate celebrity. In balance it belongs to a degree in accomplishment that deserves some attention.
This is being written on January 13, 2012. This week it was announced that Jim Tebow, the quarterback of the Denver Broncos, is the most popular (celebrity) athlete in America. What got him there? Tebow is the son of Christian parents serving as missionaries in their orphanage in the Philippines. Tebow’s first objective in making millions of dollars as a football player, is to meet financial needs of the ministry of his parents, and for whatever he can do to advance Christian ministry. He was an excellent student in a Florida University, where he also excelled as a football player, winning the highest honor, the Heisman, afforded annually to a collegiate player. As he emerged, by dint of his athletic talent, there was an added feature that swept the nation – he was aggressive and creative about his biblical faith. I watched him play the day that he had, well-prepared, the white JOHN 3:16 over the black of the sun blocker under his eyes. The announcer of the game looked up the verse and mentioned it over the air. In some successful event, like a rushing touchdown, Tebow would kneel as a prayerful gesture of appreciation. It became the talk of fans.
Persons disliking his response, but not objecting to the strutting antics and melodramatics of other players, began to make fun of the Tebow gesture. When some other athlete knelt and placed his hand to his forehead, with elbow on his knee, he was said to be Tebowing. I have yet to hear some remark that many players, before Tebow, made similar gesture, usually not taken seriously as vital. Tebow made his faith so intense that it attracted attention. Some viewers have tried to diminish it by some form of ridicule. At this writing, Tebow simply presses on. He is a better player, believing than unbelieving. Denver team owners, for their own reasons, let him go to another team. From this new team, we await to see what will be the future for a major player to take something other than his sport as primary to life. (He hasn’t made it.)
This morning an article appeared in the paper that balanced what has happened, and truly happens in experiences like Tebow’s. (W.S.J. 1/13/2012, Pg. A-11) The article gave most attention to Danny Wuerfel, who more than a decade before Tebow became a player, well paid, in the National Football League. He retired while still wanted by his team so that he and his wife could work with the deprived on Desire Street in New Orleans, a city ravaged by Hurricane Katrina. The article also refers to the influence of Tony Dungy, a favorite in communities where he played football, coached a winning Super Bowl team, and retired to devote himself to his family and Christian service. The article wrote of him and others: Such mentoring by Christian men is one of the most inspiring and least understood stories in sports. One wonders why oddities and shenanigans are reported, and contributions like Bible Studies sponsored by the Yankee pitcher, Rivera, touted to be the best ever relief pitcher in baseball, gain so little mention. We rightly find ourselves giving attention to celebrities who win it in life substance. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020