Jesus says,"You are the light of the world.” (Matthew 5:14) A great light has disappeared from view forever. There is no question that Michael Jackson and his music was an amazing light that deeply touched the hearts of his fans throughout the world. His global fame is the stuff of legend. As the shock of his death sinks into the hearts of everyone it offers you and opportunity to deeply reflect on the essence of Michael and the profound reason why people around the world are calling out in joy, in grief, in utter amazement of a life that profoundly touched their heart and deeply touched so many lives through the universal language of music. Truly, he is a legendary figure of our time, a great light, a great talent, and for many a great inspiration.
Jesus says, "You are the light of the world.” (Matthew 5:14) Michael Jackson will always be recognized as a the shining star regardless of controversies that swirled around him in life and the controversy that now swirls around him in death. No one would argue that Michael Jackson is very different from other artists and other people. Over the years we literally watched the metamorphosis of his outer appearance, through what most would agree were far too many plastic surgeries. His appearance and behavior for some was shocking and to many others inspiring. Whether you think Michael Jackson is eccentric or a freak, or the mega star King of Pop, there is one thing that is undeniably true about Michael, he offered you and the world his heart and soul through his music. How can the incredibly prolific life and career of Michael Jackson and his shocking and unexpected death help you understand the teaching of Jesus on an even deeper level?
The judgment of Michael's strange appearance and eccentric behavior was just as far reaching as his career. He is often viewed as a tragic figure one who was deeply troubled by the childhood that he never had. This ceaseless judgment and often harsh criticism only served to deepen Michael’s despair which did little to stop people from admiring his great heart and talent.
In most cases this ceaseless judgment of him was skin deep, superficial, callous, and demonstrates the heartless grasping nature of the human mind. But Jesus reminds, “You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.” (John 8:15) This is your opportunity to look past the superficial to see the great light that Michael is, the great light that you are and everyone is at the core!
The real tragedy for Michael is that he was never able to completely overcome the pain of his intense childhood. Basically he did not have a childhood and that haunted him his entire life. In one interview Michael reveals just how painful it was growing up a child star when asked about his childhood he admits, “It just made me very very very sad.”
An even deeper glimpse into the pain of growing up as a child star is discovered in the song Childhood (please see lyrics below). Michael says, “If you really want to know about me. There is a song I wrote which is the most honest song I have ever written. It is the most autobiographical song that I have ever written and its called Childhood. They should listen to it—that’s the one they really should listen to.”
Childhood
Have you seen my Childhood?
I'm searching for the world that I come from
'Cause I've been looking around
In the lost and found of my heart...
No one understands me
They view it as such strange eccentricities...
'Cause I keep kidding around
Like a child, but pardon me...
People say I'm not okay
'Cause I love such elementary things...
It's been my fate to compensate,
for the Childhood
I've never known...
Have you seen my Childhood?
I'm searching for that wonder in my youth
Like pirates in adventurous dreams,
Of conquest and kings on the throne...
Before you judge me, try hard to love me,
Look within your heart then ask,
Have you seen my Childhood?
People say I'm strange that way
'Cause I love such elementary things,
It's been my fate to compensate,
for the Childhood I've never known...
Have you seen my Childhood?
I'm searching for that wonder in my youth
Like fantastical stories to share
The dreams I would dare, watch me fly...
Before you judge me, try hard to love me.
The painful youth I've had
Have you seen my Childhood...
The sadness and despair that this song reflects reveals the agony that many creative people feel. CNN reports that according to Lisa Marie Presley, famous daughter of Elvis, Michael Jackson predicted the circumstances that would surround his death during “a deep conversation” 14 years ago about “the circumstances of my father's death. At some point he paused, he stared at me very intensely and he stated with an almost calm certainty, ‘I am afraid that I am going to end up like him, the way he did.'"
In a recent blog post Presley states, “I promptly tried to deter him from the idea, at which point he just shrugged his shoulders and nodded almost matter of fact as if to let me know, he knew what he knew and that was kind of that.” This conversation is burned in her memory as she watched his prediction come true—a haunting reminder of her own father’s sudden and unexpected death.
In a recent Ted Talk, Elizabeth Gilbert, author of the best selling book Eat, Pray, Love sheds some light on the reason why creative people like Michael and Elvis tend to die young. Elizabeth explains, “Chemical engineers as a group haven’t really earned a reputation over the centuries for being alcoholic manic-depressives. We writers, we kind of do have that reputation, and not just writers, but creative people across all genres, it seems, have this reputation for being enormously mentally unstable. And all you have to do is look at the death count in the 20th century alone, of really magnificent creative minds who died young and often at their own hands, you know? And even the ones who didn’t really commit suicide seem to be really undone by their gifts."
She asks “And the question that I want to ask every body here today is are you guys cool with that idea? Are you comfortable with that?—because you look at it even from an inch away and, you know—I'm not at all comfortable with that assumption. I think it's odious. And I also think its dangerous, and I don't want to see it perpetuated into the next century. I think it's better if we encourage our great creative minds to live.” (please watch the video below to hear her fascinating perspective).
Jesus says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:5-8)
It takes only an instant to recognize that the source of who you are is incomprehensible. A light beyond any concept of light, silence beyond any concept of silence, it is the source of your breath, the source of your heartbeat, and the source of all creativity—is the vast unknowable Light of God that is alive within you and all around you. Michael is body is finished, it is gone, but his light will shine forever. Someday your body will also be finished, don’t waste your precious time juding someone. Why not simply open and love? Why not just open and love yourself as you are?
Jesus says, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:39) And Michael Jackson pleades, “Before you judge me, try hard to love me.” Your heart has the capacity to love Michael exactly as he is, as a super talent, a deeply heartbroken person, and a human being just like you. Have you stopped for a moment and just really opened to love—to loving yourself exactly as you are? Can you recognize the source of the light within you that if always free from criticism, fear and judgement?
The source of this unending Love is God. And the incomprehensible Light of that Love is in everyone. Michael is a legend. His legacy is his music, a vibration that touches the Light deep within the human spirit, that is why he will always be loved, always be cherished, and always be remembered as on of the great talents of out time.
Jesus says, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:39)
Are you guys cool with That?
