Like it or not, Miley Cyrus is the talk of the town. Her antics have brought her much publicity – more bad than good – in recent months and, as it appears, will continue for quite some time.
“I’m not gonna do Hannah Montana,” said the beloved Cyrus during her recent monologue on Saturday Night Live, “but I can give you an update on what she’s been up to — she was murdered.”
Has Miley proved her point? I’m sure she has. But this post has little to do with Miley’s personal mission and more to do what the lessons we can learn from her recent shenanigans.
I really didn’t want to write this post. Why? Well, mainly because I didn’t want you to think that I’m trying to piggyback on her recent popularity – or what others are calling the Miley Cyrus Phenomenon.
At first, that was my goal – the piggybacking thing – but the more I’ve thought about it, the more I truly feel there are lesson we as parents and leaders and pastors and mentors and stewards of young people can learn from.
Here are just a few:
1. We can’t stop praying for our kids
Dave Bruskas from Mars Hill Church wrote a great post, giving men practical ways to pray over their families. He says that praying for our wives and children is “one of the most difficult things to do consistently.” But he goes on to say that “it is something I want to do well for the sake of those I love most.”
2. We can’t stop being a positive influence
There are so many voices and influences in the lives of our children – both positive and negative. We need to make sure that we are one of them. Our kids imitate us, identify with us, examine us, watch us react and respond, and recognize what makes us tick. Monkey see, monkey do. That’s an expression for a reason.
3. We can’t stop modeling love
Jesus laid out for us a unique form a love. He told us that true love is embodied in laying down one’s life for another. That compassion is an act of suffering with others and that caring for others requires us to live alongside them and bear some of their pain. Model a love that is sacrificial and co-suffering.