This is something that I know very well to be true. I know my faults, my insecurities and fears, what things tempt me, and what patterns of thought I am quick to leap into. These things leave me convinced that I am not able to do life on my own, I need God. After all, I’m only human.
“Susie needs Jesus.”
I also admit that my friend, “Susie,” needs God. I can see for myself that she has struggles. I was with her only last week when her dog died, her curling iron caught on fire, and her boyfriend broke up with her in one afternoon! She needs a strength, other than her own, to rely on. After all, she’s only human.
“Mr. Johnson needs Jesus.”
I am even willing concede that my neighbor, “Mr. Johnson,” needs Jesus. I may not be able to say this from first hand experience, but he hasn’t mowed his lawn in almost two months, the weeds are almost as high as his windows. I think he probably has some issues he needs help dealing with. After all, he’s only human.
“Whitney Houston does not need Jesus.”
Whitney Houston is gorgeous, has a voice that just might put angels to shame, lives in a mansion, has the perfect family, and makes more money in one year than I will see in ten! Her life is perfectly put together. After all, she’s like, super human.
Oh, never mind that last one, I just saw the headlines....
Do you see the sheer inconsistency of my reasoning? How ridiculous it looks written out? I do. I have to confess that I make this mistake all the time. Elevating people to a “super human” status, I pass them by. “This person is gorgeous; she doesn’t need God,” or, “This person is loaded; he doesn't need a savior.”
Saturday, the world was shocked to discover that Whitney Houston had died, likely from drug abuse. Fox News, after writing a glowing report of her accomplishments during the 80’s, had this to say: “But by the end of her career, Houston became a stunning cautionary tale of the toll of drug use. Her album sales plummeted and the hits stopped coming; her once serene image was shattered by a wild demeanor and bizarre public appearances. She confessed to abusing cocaine, marijuana and pills, and her once-pristine voice became raspy and hoarse, unable to hit the high notes as she had during her prime.”
Alright, so Whitney Houston wasn’t super human. She was like the billions of people in this world, who after surrounding themselves with everything imaginable, found it wasn’t enough to bring them fulfillment.
I wonder if there was anyone who was courageous enough to see through the superman facade and see the ordinary person underneath. Was there anyone who was a beacon of light to her? If I had been there, would I have been able to?
