Charlie Changed

[Philyra]

  Charlie. Sheen. When other parts of the world get hit with disaster, the celebrities line up to have their pics taken with tsunami survivors, or war prisoners, or whoever. They pour out donations and organize fundraisers and start charitable organizations. The South gets levelled by tornadoes, and we get Charlie Sheen.

  Yep, that Charlie Sheen. The one from the tabloids. The one with tiger blood and Adonis DNA. The one who goes on national television and on tour to rant and rave about what a rock star he is. The drug-addled looney who lost his job and kids and any semblance of sanity. Charlie. Freakin'. Sheen.

   As much as I really don't care snot about celebrities who regularly indulge in self-destructive behavior, recently I found myself strongly convicted about my attitude toward ol' Charlie. It seemed as if he had become nothing but a cartoon character for the world. He was Wile E. Coyote just moments prior to getting hit by a train or smashed by a giant boulder. We, prompted by an uncaring media, sat back and just waited for him to say something crazy, or go berzerk, or die of a drug overdose.

   Even during all his crazy interviews and late night web videos, I found myself praying for Charlie Sheen. You want to feel silly? Pray for Charlie Sheen. I felt more than a little silly at first. Why should anyone pray for that self-absorbed pinhead? Because Jesus died for self-absorbed pinheads as much as He died for me or any of us. It's easy for me to get all self-righteous and think that people like Charlie Sheen are beyond God's reach. None of us are worthy of that sacrifice, but it was given for everyone.

   So, I've been praying for Charlie Sheen. I've prayed that his eyes would be opened to what he's really searching for. I've prayed that he would see that drugs, and women, and money would never give him lasting fulfillment. I've prayed that he would find the Source of true and lasting happiness. What did God do? He sent him to tornado ravaged Alabama, the buckle of the Bible Belt.

   My prayer now is that Charlie will not only see the devastation, but the faith and hope of folks down here who now have nothing else. I pray that he sees what Hope in Christ can do for a person who has lost all their worldly possessions, their homes, their loved ones. Perhaps he'll begin to understand that, even when you have nothing else, Christ is all you need. If he does, it will be another miracle that God has brought out of this tragedy. Families spared, people rescued, rivals unified, Charlie changed.

[daye62]

May. 5, 2011 at 7:22 AM

I began to read this with a preconceived attitude about Charlie Sheen.I'm actually convicted about that now,and think that your post is not only beautiful but applies to much of what this country,and world,is facing these days.I was taught that when you feel compelled to judge somebody else it becomes your moral obligation to pray for that person.Sometimes I forget that.Thanks for the reminder.I'll join you in prayer for Charlie.

[BlueMeadow]

May. 5, 2011 at 9:59 AM

I think many of our celebrities need prayer. They are thrown into the lions den and most are unarmed and unprepared. Just watch any episode of celebrity rehab and you can see thier anguish beneath the facade. I feel that God led me to pray for Britney, My heart broke over Gary Busey, and my mother had a friend who prayed every single day for Robin Wiliams. There in nothing wrong with praying for celebrities. In fact, they probably need it more than most of us. At least we aren't having to live with the fact that the enitre world is watching and waiting for us to fall. I can not imagine how battered thier hearts must feel.

[Philyra]

May. 5, 2011 at 12:51 PM

I agree, BlueMeadow! It's easy for us "normal" folks to feel as if celebrities aren't real people.  I'm glad there are others out there who aren't afraid to pray for them.  They may seem larger than life, but they're still just human beings and part of God's creation.

(Original Poster)