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American Idol Contestant Daniel Seavey Judged by God Alone

God's Judgment Identity Fame

Source: “Interview with an American Idol Mom (What She Prays for Her Son)” by Kara Chupp, posted TheBetterMom.com, March 26, 2015

Link to Source: Click here to view source

Contributed By: Illustration Exchange | Date Posted: 2015-04-10

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8 ; Isaiah 33:22

Author: Illustration Exchange
3

ILLUSTRATION

AMERICAN IDOL may not be the mega-hit that it was in its heyday when it was pumping out superstars like Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, or Jennifer Hudson, but it still provides young talent the opportunity to enter into the living rooms of millions of viewers each week and rise in the ranks of stardom. One such young talent in 2015 was teen dream contestant, Daniel Seavey.

At just 15 years of age, Daniel was among Season 14's youngest contestants. His boyish good looks, sweet smile, positive attitude, and musical talent made him an instant crowd favorite. In Portland, OR, he was handed his “golden ticket” to join a mass of other hopefuls in Hollywood. Much to his family’s surprise, he made it through “Hollywood Week” and into the “Top 24” and begin performing before live audiences. His success kept rolling, until he found himself in the “Top 12” competing for America’s vote to become the next American Idol.

Wow—that’s a heavy title. American Idol. The dictionary defines the word idol as “an image or representation of a god used as an object of worship,” or “a person or thing that is greatly admired, loved, or revered.” How on earth was this young man supposed to handle the stress of being idolized—worshipped and revered—by millions. It’s a question his mother wondered, too.

Daniel’s mom, Keri Seavey, is mother to four children, is a pastor’s wife, women's ministry leader, biblical counselor, speaker, and writer who blogs regularly for the Biblical Counseling Coalition. She and her husband have raised Daniel in a Christian home and have been there for him each step of the journey to guide him on the precarious road to fame and fortune.

I am very proud of how he has been dealing with his overnight popularity. He's learning the value of not  "believing his own press" with respect to over-the-top praise or difficult-to-hear-read negative feedback. He is learning what it means to anchor his identity in who he already is in Christ, and not what people think of him or how they respond to him.  …

I pray that God's will would be done regarding how far we ride this crazy train! More importantly, I pray for Daniel's heart. My desire is that this experience with American Idol would be a means that God uses to help him understand and live in the reality of who he is in Christ. I pray that both the praise and criticism he receives would be light and inconsequential in comparison to the weightiness of the acceptance and love that he already has in Christ.

APPLICATION

Keri concludes:

My son's name, Daniel, means "God is my judge." How fitting! I pray that as Daniel is judged weekly on his singing performance, that his true and deeper joy would come in knowing that the true Judge has based his love for Daniel on the perfect performance of Christ. Daniel does not need to perform for God to earn his love. He already has it by faith, because of the performance and merits of Christ!

*Note: Daniel was eliminated from the competition on 4/1/15, going home in 9th place.

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

"For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; it is he who will save us" (Isaiah 33:22).

Thou Shalt Not Have American Idols?

Witness Music Fame

Source: "Thou Shall Not Have Any American Idols? Christian 'Idols' Take Center Stage" by Brian Mansfield, USA Today, 1/15/11 and "Thou Shall Not Have Any American Idols? Christian 'Idols' Take Center Stage" by Eryn Sun, Christian Post, 2/4/11

Link to Source: Click here to view source

Contributed By: Illustration Exchange | Date Posted: 2012-07-06

Scripture: Psalms 149:3 ; Joshua 24:25

Author: Illustration Exchange
2

ILLUSTRATION

Season after season American Idol churns out incredible performances by Christian artists.  For those of us of faith, we can all identify with sitting on our couches, musing over the disproportionate number of Christian contenders.  Some are very low key about their faith, like Danny Gokey and Kris Allen.  Others are more open and up front.  Who can forget Mandisa’s run-in with Simon Cowell when he implied her overt spiritual references were “indulgent.”  She responded with Scripture and a godly example of forgiveness.  Simon had no choice but to receive the “grace” she was imparting and join her on stage for a hug, in front of an audience of tens of millions.

This season has already featured several contestants who have both covertly and overtly emanated a sense of spirituality.  Tonight’s closing act, brothers Aaron and Mark Gutierrez are members of a Christian vocal group, GB5, and openly profess faith in Christ, posting on their website the verse, “Choose you this day whom you will serve…  but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15) as a public statement of commitment.

Of even greater interest, though, is the revelation that a “huge” percentage of the Idol viewing audience are conservative Christians.  Richard Rushfield, in his new book, AMERICAN IDOL: THE UNTOLD STORY, says, “Whenever I brought the church up with producers, you get the sense that it's the last thing they want to talk about.”  But given the shows Christian audience, it’s impossible for the producers to stifle or minimize the impact of the Christian artists, their audience, and their message.

APPLICATION

Who would have ever thought that a Hollywood harbinger touting “idolatrous” fame and fortune would rise to become a leading platform for Christian witness. It’s not surprising, though, if you think about the influence the church has had on music over the millennia.  After all, WE are the ones who really have something to sing about.  We raise up our young people to “sing a new song” unto the Lord and to “Let them praise His name with dancing and make music to Him with tambourine and harp” (Psalms 149:3). So if using their God-given talents in the secular realm opens doors of witness and positive press for the Kingdom, all the better.

It just goes to show you that God can (and will!) use any medium to capture the attention of a spiritually needy world.  Talk about a voice “crying out in the wilderness.”  Is there any greater wilderness than the heart of the American entertainment industry?

Celebrities Behind Sunglasses

Fame Fulfillment Purpose

Source: various

Contributed By: Illustration Exchange | Date Posted: 2012-04-13

Scripture: Colossians 1:16

Author: Fred Allen
6

ILLUSTRATION

“A celebrity,” observed comedian Fred Allen, “is a person who works all his life to become well-known, then wears dark glasses to avoid being recognized.”

APPLICATION

Life has a way of flipping on us. We think we want something so badly, only to discover it doesn't fulfill us the way we thought it would. The problem is that we were not made for celebrity, or power, or riches. We were made for God, to find our meaning and purpose in Him. Until we discover that, we will continue to go from one unfulfilling pursuit to another.

"For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him" (Colossians 1:16).

May Your Silver Perish With You

Covet Materialism Idolatry

Contributed By: Neal Pollard | Date Posted: 2024-04-24

Scripture: Acts 8:20 ; 1 Timothy 6:9

Author: Neal Pollard
2

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Family Heirlooms

Inheritance Family (Values) Legacy

Contributed By: Vince Putnam | Date Posted: 2023-01-22

Scripture: Exodus 20:6

Author: Vince Putnam
2

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Distracted And Delayed By Baggage

Greed Materialism Influence

Contributed By: Neal Pollard | Date Posted: 2019-05-11

Scripture: Luke 12:15 ; 1 Timothy 6:9

Author: Neal Pollard
6

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Remembered

Influence Priorities Legacy

Contributed By: James Miller | Date Posted: 2018-05-26

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:10

Author: Dennis Hevesi
9

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How Dare God!

Arrogance Grace Expectations

Contributed By: Illustration Exchange | Date Posted: 2017-07-19

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8

Author: Illustration Exchange
5

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A Rich Man Brings A Suitcase To Heaven

Materialism Heaven Humor

Contributed By: Illustration Exchange | Date Posted: 2017-07-18

Scripture: Mark 10:21

Author: Unknown
28

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Money Quotes (part 1)

Money Quotes Money Materialism

Contributed By: Illustration Exchange | Date Posted: 2016-09-27

Author: Various
2

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