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Apparently a group of seven year old girls are capturing quite a Youtube following.  The early shows on the major networks this morning carried the story about the girls' "dance troupe."  Even the morning show hosts cringed as they played short segments of the performance.  And what do you guess caused the cringing?

The girls were dressed like hookers, in sexy little lingerie, and were shaking their stuff in a re-enactment of a popular Beyonce song about single women.  Some of the morning show hosts were arguing that this is dangerously close to pedaphilia and / or child pornography.  Others aptly pointed a finger at the parents of the girls.

Now, by God's grace, I am no expert on Beyonce.  I do not listen to her nor log on to view her.  I am aware of the video in question simply because it has been splashed across every conceivable media outlet for over a year now.  And, I do recall when Beyonce and her two sisters crashed onto the music and entertainment scene as innocent looking young girls, touting their Christianity, strong morals and talking about how their mother had raised them to dress modestly. 

Well, those days are gone.  Modesty does not sell CDs in the pop culture.  Looking and acting like a prostitute does.

Now, lest anyone think I am simply bashing a certain celebrity and making this blog about personal attacks, let me assure you my concern is not primarily with Beyonce, or Britney, or GaGa, or any other pop icon.  Our sinful depraved culture craves them, and pays for them, and so they and their ilk shall continue. 

My concern is for parents in general, and Christian parents in particular, who allow their children (especially daughters in this instance) access to these performers.  I remember a former pastor of mine about ten years ago taking a beating from his congregation simply because he dared to suggest from the pulpit that parents ought to think twice about letting their children listen to and watch Britney Spears.  I mean, after all, little girls in the church were imitating her in the hallways, so it did seem reasonable for him to address the subject. 

Christian parents often demonstrate a wide ignorance when it comes to how they view their children.  Have we all so quickly forgotten that God says our children were born sinners (Psalm 51:5)?  Do we really grasp that our children's hearts are "more deceitful than all else and desperately sick" (Jer 17:9)?  The heart of humanity is prone to idolatry (worship of anyone or anything other than the one true God).  Sinners left to their own devices "suppress the truth in unrighteousness" and "worship the creature rather than the Creator" (Rom 1).  Your children and mine are not exempt!   

So, realize your children are prone to make idols.  And, they will make idols out of whatever or whomever is set before their senses on a habitual basis.  They will make idols in response to peer pressure, so you must help them choose friends wisely.  They will naturally gravitate to idolatry - it's the plight of humanity! 

Those who make them [idols] will become like them (Psalm 115:8).

As a man thinks in his heart, so is he (Prov 23:7).

Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matt 6:21).

Parents, who or what are you allowing your children to idolize?  Who do your children imitate?  Who do they talk about most often?  What do they view most frequently every day?  What are they reading?  Who do they want to look like?  How much "free access" are you giving them to media?  (My wife shocked me the other day by telling me some of our 9 year olds at church are on FB with their own accounts.  That creeps me out and deeply concerns me.)

O God, help us put before our children the Lord Jesus Christ.  Give us grace to hold up the Word made flesh and the Word written down in our homes and in our daily lives.  Lord, you save us to conform us to the image of Your Son (Rom 8:29).  Forgive us when we try or allow our children to seek to conform to the image of the creature.  Give our children new hearts, O Holy Spirit, and help us to direct their hearts to the only One worth treasuring - Jesus the Christ.  May our whole lives teach our children in word and deed that "friendship with the world is enmity with God" (James 4:4).  In the Name of Jesus, amen.  

by Keith McWhorter