“The Life Of A Showgirl”

I want to preface my thoughts by saying, I love everyone, and I believe that everyone has been created in the image of God. Everyone needs to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. Everyone needs to obey it, and everyone needs to be in an everlasting relationship with the One who created them. So, when I point out sinful behavior, it’s never out of hate, but always out of loving concern for every soul.

I’m never surprised when worldly people do worldly things; I’m only heartbroken because I know the blessed life they are missing out on in Christ. I heard a conversation yesterday about Taylor Swift’s new album called “The Life of a Showgirl,” and I have seen some posts about it on social media. She’s advertising her album by sharing photos of herself in the apparel of a showgirl. I know this might not seem like a big deal, but it is. A lot of young girls and women in the world look up to Taylor Swift. In fact, she is idolized by millions of people. Some of her more devout followers call her “Mother.”

We might chuckle at that, but this is alarming to me. The influence she has is so widespread, and the sinful things she promotes through her music are often minimized by her kindness toward people and her philanthropic work. But folks, we cannot be deceived. Just because someone does some good things and is generally kind to people does not cancel out or somehow make the things God condemns acceptable.

I am very concerned to see Christians putting their stamp of approval on these sinful things. Taylor is a good singer; she’s talented, and she’s obviously a big deal. But, my brothers and sisters, we cannot approve of these things and idolize a human being. Liking a photo of a naked woman on social media violates the inspired word of God that you claim is the source of all truth. Throwing your money at her anytime she releases an album or puts on a concert is questionable behavior, to say the very least.

It’s not my intention to single out Taylor Swift in all of this; there are many, many others who do the same things as she does. Truly, my concern is about the behavior of Christians in relation to all of this. Christians need to be mindful of their influence. We can’t convince people to come out from among the world and be separate if we are not willing to do the same thing. We cannot say we agree with what the Bible teaches about sin and then do something to violate that teaching.

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.” (1 John 2:15-16)

If we are not willing to separate ourselves from the world, whatever the reason may be, are we not lovers of the world? We cannot be a lover of the world and also be of the Father. As Christians we have to remember who we are and what Jesus Christ has transformed us into.

“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.” (1 Peter 2:9-10)

As that royal priesthood, that holy nation, and that special people, we are to proclaim the praises of the One who saved us from the darkness and doom of sin. Can we do that while proclaiming the praises of human beings who glorify and normalize that which separates us from God?

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:1-2)

We cannot be transformed by the renewing of our mind if our mind is full of worldly filth, and we share worldly filth, pay for worldly filth, and praise worldly filth. If you wonder why you're weak in the faith and struggling to believe, look no further than your own mind. What occupies it? If our mind is filled with the word rather than the world, we can prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

All that said, I know it's not easy to be separate from the world. But whatever difficulty you might face in order to enter and remain in the kingdom will be worth it when you inevitably stand at the judgement bar. It would do tremendous good for the faithful to pray for Taylor Swift and other influential people of our day. We need to humbly and fervently ask God that these people will have the opportunity to hear the true gospel, obey it, and then channel their energy into proclaiming the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.

Eric Bullock, Evangelist