Listen to the audio version- https://soundcloud.com/user806231230/mile-markers-4-actors-who-traded-fame-for-faith.

When Jesus said to “count the cost,” the disciple Matthew knew what He meant. Jesus had told Matthew, “follow Me.” The Jewish tax collector left a lucrative job, knowing the cost would be worth it. He later recorded Jesus’ parable of a man selling all he had in exchange for a pearl of great price (Matthew 13:44).

Like Matthew, the following actors have sacrificed enviable careers to cling to the Christian faith. Each, once well-liked in Hollywood, no longer get the calls they use to.

Former TV stars

Angus T. Jones and Kirk Cameron were young actors in TV sitcoms.

Angus Jones was the”half” man in TVs Two and a Half Men. He was ten when the show began in 2003. His role in the highly-rated comedy lasted for 10 of its 12 seasons. Kirk Cameron’s TV stardom began when Growing Pains premiered in 1985. During its seven seasons, Kirk turned in performances that won him popularity and awards.

Stephen Baldwin and Kevin Sorbo made their marks in action dramas.

In 1989, Stephen Baldwin, the youngest of a family of actors, rode into TV front rooms as one of The Young Riders. He played William F. (Buffalo Bill) Cody during his days as part of the pony express. The show lasted until 1992. Kevin Sorbo flexed his muscles as Hercules in a series of TV movies before taking the lead role in the campy Greek myth based, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (995-1999).

But things changed for each of the four actors.

Signing Contracts with God

In November of 2012, Angus T. Jones released a YouTube video denouncing the TV show that had made him the highest paid child actor on television. On the video, he told how God had drawn him to a Seventh Day Adventist church where he had a conversion experience. Angus pled with his fans, “If you watch Two and a Half Men, please stop watching … Please stop filling your head with filth.”

Angus had to work out the details of his contract, but he was willing to stay true to his faith. Angus has stopped acting.

Kirk Cameron believed in the material wealth success brought him, but he didn’t believe in God. But hearing the gospel message for the first time led him to believe God existed. Kirk became a Christian. But his new-found faith clashed with some things he was expected to say and do on Growing Pains. He chose to honor God.

After the series ended, Hollywood welcomed Kirk’s former co-star, Leonardo DiCaprio, but not him. Kirk adhered to Christian film projects like Left Behind (2000), Fireproof  (2008), and “Saving Christmas (2014). In 2002, he started the ministry, “The Way of the Master” with evangelist Ray Comfort.

Fame for Stephen Baldwin came from appearing in movies like Born on the Fourth of July and The Usual Suspects. The terrorist attacks on 9/11/2001 led Stephen to a personal faith. He says, “In my position, I just don’t think I’m supposed to keep my faith to myself.”

Since his conversion, Stephen has been offered light-weight Hollywood projects. But his faith continues driving him. He’s appeared in the Christian films I’m In Love with a Church Girl (2013) and Faith of Our Fathers (2015).

Playing Hercules brought Kevin Sorbo international fame. Since that show’s cancellation, Kevin’s resume has included mostly sci-fi and fantasy characters in movies and video games. Kevin is an outspoken Christian. He believes that expressing his views has put him out of step with Hollywood, costing him more substantial parts in movies.

However, Kevin’s faith has led to roles in the Christian films, Soul Surfer (2011) and God’s Not Dead (2014).

Of course, Christianity is not about popularity. It’s about pleasing God. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, singer and songwriter Bob Dylan proclaimed faith in Jesus. For three albums he sang bold lyrics to songs with an uncompromising message. Here are a few lines from his song “I Believe in You,” (about counting the cost of following Jesus).

Verse one ends with, “And they, they look at me and frown/They’d like to drive me from this town/They don’t want me around/’Cause I believe in you.”

The next to last verse says, “I believe in you when wintertime turns to summer/I believe in you when white turn to black/I believe in you even though I be outnumbered/Oh, though the earth may shake me/Oh, though my friends forsake me/Oh, even that couldn’t make me go back.”

The Road Ahead: 

1. Hold your Christian faith tighter than anything else. Matthew recorded Jesus’ words, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37, NKJV). We’re to love God more than any friendship, personal interest, or job that calls us to compromise our faith. If anything or anyone is playing a spiritual tug-of-war with you, seek God’s help to stand strong.
2. Pray for Christians in the limelight. Some are actors and singers, some are sports figures, some are politicians. Pray that they’ll remain true to the Christian faith, no matter the cost.

Further Fuel: Matthew 6:19-20; Luke 14:27-28.

Listen to the audio version- https://soundcloud.com/user806231230/mile-markers-i-can-take-criticism.

There are a lot of critics out there. Some are paid for their opinions. There are professional food critics, film critics, fashion critics, judges of music, interpreters of art, and news analyzers.

There are also non-professional critics. They offer their opinions free of charge, mostly in attack modfe.

Words As Weapons

Some barbs are meant to cut deep. Today, artist James Whistler is famous for painting a picture of his mother. In his day, he was well known for insulting non-relatives whose portraits he painted. One unhappy customer told him, “You can’t call that a great work of art.” Whistler answered, “Perhaps not, but you can’t call yourself a great work of nature.”

Other criticism is launched in the form of sweeping statements. For instance, prejudice. Before meeting Jesus, Nathanael asked Philip, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”  (John 1:46).  He later realized that his insult was unjust.

Every day, unhappy people attack others with less-than-kind words. Because you’re a member of the human race, you’ll find yourself in the line of fire. Sometimes, it’s a shotgun criticism meant to hit many at once. At other times, you are the sole target.

Words As Medicine

Then there’s constructive criticism. Always personal, but helpful. Words meant to point out an area where improvement can be made. Phrases framed, not in cutting, but caring words. Constructive criticism might still feel like someone scratching you, but you also know the intent is right.

Solomon heard his share of criticism. He passed along some helpful reminders to the rest of us. Words about criticism we can trust.

“Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy” (Proverbs 27:6, NLT).

“If you listen to constructive criticism, you will be at home among the wise” (Proverbs 15:31, NLT).

Put Downs Can Lift Us Up?

Even scathing remarks can help us. It depends on what we do with them.

Consider King David’s response to Shimei. At a low point in the king’s career, his son Absalom seized the throne. While fleeing the capital city during the coup, David and his retinue walked past the rantings of an ill-informed landowner named Shimei. He kicked up dust and threw stones at David and those with him, accusing David of having stolen the throne from King Saul.

Rather than attack back, David  concluded, “It may be that the Lord will look on the wrong done to me, and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing today” (II Samuel 16:12, ESV).

David believed that an affront from a fellow human could ignite God’s mercy in our lives.

The late Christian leader Ed Dobson took many turns in his Christian journey. Depending on which phase of his life they meant, critics believed Ed to be either too conservative or lacking enough conservatism. He developed a method for facing critics: “When I encounter opposition, I ask is God trying to show me something in this?”

Ed searched for a possible insight in every criticism. With God’s help, he chewed on and digested the meat of truth and spit out the bones.

David’s response a generation before and Ed’s approach centuries later, conformed to Solomon’s warning in Proverbs 26:4. Here’s how it’s phrased in the Voice translation: “Never answer a fool on his own foolish terms, or you will become like him.”

If instead, we take critical remarks against us to God, He’ll help us respond correctly. Perhaps even find a nugget of help in words meant to be unkind.

The Road Ahead:

1. Learn to recognize a friendly critic. Most criticism isn’t tactful. But some of it’s meant to profit us. Consider your relationship with the source. Is it someone who cares about your future? Then accept that they want to help you.
2. Pray to see helpful insights. Your critics often intend offense rather than help. But like so many other parts of life, God can redeem a critical remark for our betterment. Like Ed Dobson, ask God to help you recognize a beneficial truth He may want you to find hidden in the remark.

Further Fuel: Romans 12:17-18; Proverbs 27:17; Exodus 18:13-24.