WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER
When Vanessa Hudgen was made the country’s Global Tourism ambassador, some people wondered how she can be effective when she admitted being “definitely raised very American, except for all the rice, and the Adobo and Pancit!’ She (only) learned…about her other side upon coming to the Philippines for the first time” a few days ago. We’re not even sure what she has learned to bring in tourists. In internet lingo, a lot more credible local and even international celebrities with Filipino affinity are waving or have left the group.
This reminds me of the tendency of the evangelical community to embrace a celebrity who had just become born again, and make him/her the face of the faith. Churches will invite the artista, pulitiko, or atleta to share his/her testimony and teach people who have been in the faith longer about the faith.
As much as anybody can and should be encouraged to share their personal story, it is premature to put a new convert (celebrity or not) in a public teaching spotlight. Yes, we become Christ’s ambassadors when we turn to Him but we all need to be taught first to be credible. We do not use a seed to show the beauty of a bloomed flower. We do not use a baby to promote a college. Let the new convert grow and ripen first otherwise, when s/he slips because of ignorance or pinilit ang pagkahinog, we will all suffer for we are all in this together. If Paul the apostle had to spend three years in private to receive teaching (Gal. 1:11ff) before becoming the greatest ambassador ever, how much more us?
When Vanessa Hudgen was made the country’s Global Tourism ambassador, some people wondered how she can be effective when she admitted being “definitely raised very American, except for all the rice, and the Adobo and Pancit!’ She (only) learned…about her other side upon coming to the Philippines for the first time” a few days ago. We’re not even sure what she has learned to bring in tourists. In internet lingo, a lot more credible local and even international celebrities with Filipino affinity are waving or have left the group.
This reminds me of the tendency of the evangelical community to embrace a celebrity who had just become born again, and make him/her the face of the faith. Churches will invite the artista, pulitiko, or atleta to share his/her testimony and teach people who have been in the faith longer about the faith.
As much as anybody can and should be encouraged to share their personal story, it is premature to put a new convert (celebrity or not) in a public teaching spotlight. Yes, we become Christ’s ambassadors when we turn to Him but we all need to be taught first to be credible. We do not use a seed to show the beauty of a bloomed flower. We do not use a baby to promote a college. Let the new convert grow and ripen first otherwise, when s/he slips because of ignorance or pinilit ang pagkahinog, we will all suffer for we are all in this together. If Paul the apostle had to spend three years in private to receive teaching (Gal. 1:11ff) before becoming the greatest ambassador ever, how much more us?