WHY OUR IDOLS FALL

We live in a culture that celebrates gifting, whether or not that talent comes with an equal measure of character to temper it. So we elevate people onto lofty pedestals, and then act surprised when our idols fall. Gifting is a cheap substitute for character. And the fame we give our idols is often more of a curse than a blessing. It’s like handing car keys to a child who has never learned to drive. Not only are we endangering their lives, but the lives of everyone else around them.

Take note that the wisdom literature of scripture, particularly the book of Proverbs, encourages us to grow in wisdom and character, rather than gifting or fame.

So why do we keep setting our most gifted up for failure? In part, it’s because our culture has historically celebrated results, regardless of the carnage left along the road to greatness. We tend to idolize people for their accomplishments without stopping to ask whether this person is the kind of role model we’d want our kids to emulate. And what we celebrate becomes the norm. The things we elevate and the stories we share will inevitably shape the values of the next generation.

So we are reaping what we’ve sown. We have celebrated gifting over character. We have turned fame into a worthy endeavor, and then act surprised when people willingly behave badly in order to garner more attention.

Perhaps we should stop elevating people on account of their talents and start celebrating character over accomplishment. Maybe we should stop looking to our movie stars and sports stars and reality stars to be our culture’s influencers, and instead look to the men and women of deep character to influence us, those who don’t trumpet their own accomplishments but who serve quietly in the background. Perhaps our true stars should be the sort of people who place goodness above greatness. 

Of course, we don’t hear their voices often, because they’re not the ones reaching for the mic or seeking the closest camera lens. But we would do well to consider their example and stop placing talented people on unstable pedestals. Because when they fall, we all lose.