Saying "No" To the World

We can recognize that we are called to a life of obedience to Jesus, and the impact of our obedience can not only affect people here and now, but into the future, even after He takes us from this earth. Psalm 78 speaks to that concept, when it references...
(4b) Telling to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, And His strength and His wonderful works that He has done.
5 For He established a testimony in Jacob, And appointed a law in Israel, Which He commanded our fathers, That they should make them known to their children;
6 That the generation to come might know them, The children who would be born, That they may arise and declare them to their children,
7 That they may set their hope in God, And not forget the works of God, But keep His commandments...

Amber was one of so many thousands of talented singers who wanted to have the American Idol experience. She actually won a ticket to an audition by winning a local contest. Her mother talked to their pastor, who said, "just go till God puts a stop in it."

Her mom related in a church setting over a decade ago that the owner of the competition even predicted she would be in the Top 10 and make "more money than you could ever possibly imagine."

So Amber made it to Hollywood and stood before the judges at the time: Randy Jackson, Stephen Tyler, and Jennifer Lopez. After her first song, Tyler asked her to share about herself, and she told them that she sang gospel music with her family.  Lopez interjected that Idol was not a "gospel competition," and Amber responded that she was "not of the world."

She sang again, and J-Lo asked her if she were willing to sing "secular music," to which Amber responded, according to her mother, "I'm willing to sing songs that have a positive message that don't compromise what I believe..."

The story goes on: 

Jennifer said, "Amber are you willing to sing only secular music, no more gospel, and do things that we need for you to do, like dress provocatively for the audience and the TV camera?"

Her mother shared the testimony that Amber said no, so "American Idol said no."  But, on stage at Shadow Mountain Community Church in San Diego, in a moment that is chronicled on YouTube, Kelly Nelon Clark reminded the audience that, "the Lord Jesus says yes," adding, "anything that we need in our life the Lord can provide, because He is a wonderful, wonderful God that we serve..."

Recently, in my conversation with Babbie Mason at the Christian Product Expo, we were reflecting on the gospel music legacy of the Nelons - Kelly and her husband, as well as her daughter, Amber Nelon Kistler, and her husband, perished in a plane crash recently as group members were on their way to Alaska for a Gaither Homecoming cruise.  The story about Amber's Idol audition has been circulating, and it's such a moving story. 

And, it can move us to be stalwart in our faith. We have to know who we are and who we are in Christ. We recognize that we are in the world but not of it, and our desire should always be to please our Heavenly Father. 

This exchange took place years ago, and it's interesting that it is circulating now, after the death of the young woman who took such a strong stand for Jesus.  We should live in a manner so that our stories can outlive us.  What we have done for Christ in this life can and should be passed on and impact others.  So, we don't live just for the moment, but for eternity.