Keeping Up with the Kardash-whos

Back in the day, the adage used to be, “Keeping up with the Jones’”… In today’s society, the name Jones has been replaced with Kardashian, and this phenomenon has been taken to a whole new level. For those who are not familiar with the name Kardashian, every Sunday night this family’s reality show can be seen on the E! Channel with 2011 marking the sixth season (www.eonline.com). Many people in America, young and old, have become fascinated with this family and the goings on of its individual members including the most recent wedding of one of the oldest children, Kim. The hype that has surrounded the Kardashians seems to almost elevate the family to a level of royalty (bombshell for loyal fans: no royal blood exists in the Kardashian clan).

1 Thessalonians 4:11 (ESV)

And to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs…

Seriously, I cannot be the only person who does not care (not even a little bit) what the Kardashian family is up to... However, their show is quite popular, as it has entered its sixth season. Why are humans so captivated by this family (and celebrities, for that matter)? To take this one step further, why are humans so preoccupied with what others, in general, are up to? (Even my 2-year old nephew’s favorite question, asked approximately every 30 seconds, is: “What doing?”). Being concerned about someone’s wellbeing and being just plain nosey are poles apart from each other. We must be careful to know the difference and act accordingly.

Hebrews 13:5 (NLT)

Stay away from the love of money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never forsake you”.

In a “perfect world” (definitely not what many imagine as a Kardashian world) I would be able to inspire my 2-year old nephew to have the same zest about Jesus and the Bible that he has when asking, “What doing?”. In addition, many of us would be able to communicate to our youth and teens the importance of working on a relationship with the Lord and on making the right choices in life (sooner rather than later). We would also be able to break through to those (young and old) who just do not “get it”. As the 1 Thessalonians passage, above, points out, we must tend to our personal camps, first, and not be concerned with the lives of others. We should not preoccupy ourselves with how others spend their time or who with, or what others have achieved or obtained, etc. Life is not a competition over who gets the most toys or friends. We need to remember to concentrate on what is important: a relationship with God and making the right choices throughout life. Individuals who might possibly have a problem with fixating on others should take note that 1 Thessalonians 4:11 (ESV) clearly tells us to mind our own business.

In addition, Hebrews 13:5 (NLT) clearly tells us God will never abandon or fail us. Instead of focusing on money, we should put that energy to use by working on becoming better Christians. What do you need to work on? When was the last time you focused on working on the issue(s)? When was the last time you talked to God about it? He’s always listening… Take a moment to talk with Him. Tip: Focus on yourself and what you need to work on. Obviously, that’s what the Kardashians have been doing. Look how well it’s done for them! The key is to thank God for what we have and to use our time and resources to please Him. God blesses those who realize their need for Him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is given to them (Matthew 5:3, NLT).

May God bless you and lead you!