Some of the most popular TV programs today are designed for people seeking stardom even if at the expense of great public ridicule and humiliation.  Thousands of people line up to be given the opportunity to sing in front of an audience, dance or even cook a creative meal.  All do it with the hope that they will emerge as the one shining star who will go on to a lifelong career on the world stage.  Most will not make it to this goal.  The handful that do are momentarily celebrated and admired and then promptly forgotten as soon as the next “star” comes along.

The names of most oscar winners will be forgotten within a decade, majority of singers are fortunate if they get to produce more than a couple of successful albums, most supermodels are considered obsolete by the time they hit their thirties and even the President of the United States will be mostly consigned to the history books a few years after he or she steps down from office.

That’s why it is so amazing that there is one group of people whose stories have endured through centuries of human history.  These are the characters of the Bible.  Abraham, Moses, David, Ruth, Esther and Paul to name a few are recognized worldwide in just about every nation and across every culture.  Their stories never seem to grow old.  Even today, movies and books about their lives continue to be a big hit.  Last year, the number one show on cable TV was the Bible series which dramatizes major events and characters of the Bible.  It grabbed the attention of major news networks and was watched by over 100 million people.  It has since sold over a million DVDs and has been dubbed a “historic TV event”.

A little girl once said that life is a stage, God is the Director and we are given the choice to follow His script or ours.  The Bible’s hall of fame is a showcase of lives lived on God’s script.  This is why many of the characters we encounter in the Bible had the same weaknesses and struggles that we do.  Abraham took matters into his own hands sometimes, Jacob cheated his way into God’s plan, Moses struggled with a bad temper.  David committed adultery and then tried to cover it up with murder, Gideon was cowardly, Paul got Christians killed and Peter whom Jesus assigned the title of “Rock” denied knowing him right afterwards.

The human desire to shine on the stage of life is one that has been implanted in our souls by God Himself and He is the spotlight.  He has written a script for our lives and His intention is for our stories to have a good end and be of eternal value.  When He is the Director of our lives, our weaknesses and failures don’t matter in the end because He ensures we end well.  When we choose to follow Christ, our lives become eternal and forever celebrated.  When Jesus died on the Cross, He did it so that our stories may be woven into His because that’s what History is all about – It’s His story.

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.  – Jeremiah 29:11 

Tagged: Bible, Christianity, Death, fame, famous, Jesus Christ, Life, Stage