By: J

This is a consistent topic of conversation between “Lo” and I (Founders of RPmovment) because, at least for african-americans, many artist/musicians get there start in church. Black churches are charismatic and we believe in outward expressions of praise and worship. Our churches have soul stirring musicians and singers, but quite a bit of them make the 180 turn from God to the concepts that fuel an ungodly world. This billboard article featuring talented artist Trey Songz is a great example and lines up with these scriptures.

Mark 8:36 (New International Version)
36What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?

James 4:4 (Contemporary English Version)
4You people aren’t faithful to God! Don’t you know that if you love the world, you are God’s enemies? And if you decide to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.

This article was fascinating because it lays out what this young man had to do in order to become a star. The opening title gives us the formula: Secular Popularity = Perseverance + Songs about sex. Popularity, songs, sex nor perseverance or evil subjects. The problem arises, (as in all things), when God is not put in the for front and greed, selfishness, and twisted perspectives is. Here is a direct quote from his billboard interview.

“The public likes generic more than they like to admit, so that’s what I gave them — I gave them sexual singles and they ate it up,” Songz says about the string of blatantly sexed-up hits from “Ready.” “I gave them two whole albums before this one — on one I talked about a mother’s love for her son and a father not being there, and on the other I made a song about safe sex. They were well accepted but not as much as the records on ‘Ready.’ The singles were purposely very sexual to capture people’s attention.”

“Trey directed his lyrics,” Greenwald says. “No one gave them to him or said, ‘This is what you should do.’ We can’t take any credit for that. We helped expose him, but he wrote what he wanted to write.”

Songz didn’t find it compromising to peddle sex to become a bigger star.

In order to befriend this world and its formula of living life, Trey had to make the decision to become the opposite of what God states biblically is living life. The lure of believing that success is solely based on status, money, and things is strong and compelling, but it leaves out God’s purpose for your life. God’s way of living life is just as successful and is loaded with fulfillment, minus the regret. God doesn’t have a problem with making money, earthly treasures or having fun. God does have a problem when they are sought after more than Him and fun is twisted to include engaging in immoral, disrespectful endeavors.

I have made up my mind that my eternity isn’t worth gambling for something that is temporary. We all have seen great stars rise and fall in the blink of an eye. The same fans that adore you, will turn their back on you if you don’t do what they want, or become unpopular. Those same fans will also distance themselves from your indiscretions if deemed egregious. Eternity or temporary things? I think I like what the book of Matthew states.

Matthew 6:19-21 (New International Version)
Treasures in Heaven
19″Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.