Miley Cyrus is certainly no stranger to controversy. The former Hanna Montana made waves back in 2013 with a risqué performance that had the internet buzzing for months. Not long after, she cemented her newfound infamy with the release of several sexually-charged albums. Now Cyrus is making headlines again, but this time for a very unexpected reason. After winning video of the year at last night’s Video Music Awards, audiences were surprised when Cyrus sent a young man to accept the award in her place.
According to The Blaze, what happened next brought the young singer to tears,
“’Thank y’all, my name is Jesse and I am accepting this award on behalf of the 1.6 million runaways and homeless youth in the United States who are starving, lost and scared for their lives right now,’ he said. ‘I know this because I am one of these people. Though I may have been invisible to you in the streets, I have a lot of the same dreams that brought many of you here tonight.’”
“Jesse also encouraged the audience and viewers watching the award show to go to Cyrus’ website and Facebook page, where donations can be made to My Friend’s Place, a Hollywood shelter for the homeless…Cyrus’ Facebook page notes that her efforts to help end youth homelessness are just beginning, but that she’s starting by helping My Friend’s Place and encouraging people to donate.”
Hopefully, Cyrus’ selfless action will inspire viewers to donate and help end homelessness altogether. Yet, her message should also serve as a wake-up call for many Christians. You see, many Believers often give priority to the Gospel when working in ministry. We tell ourselves the most important thing is that others come to know Jesus, and this is true. However, we forget that Jesus didn’t just command us to provide for a person’s spiritual needs, He also told us to provide for their physical needs.
Just look at the following verses,
“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, ‘You have faith and I have works.’ Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” – James 2:14-18
Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.' – Matthew 25:34-40
It’s time the Church returned to its roots, and remembered our true purpose in life. God did not tell us to pursue political agendas or become moral policemen. Instead, He told us to feed the hungry, cloth the naked, tend to the sick, and love the lost, for they are the true treasures of Heaven.
Do you want to take the first step toward helping those in need? Here a few links to charities like World Vision, Samaritan's Purse, and the Red Cross.
*Ryan Duncan is the Entertainment Editor for Crosswalk.com
*Published 8/25/2014