Sun, May 25th - 1:47AM

Sun, May 11th - 10:29PM

Observing The Life Habits of the Paparazzi

The paparazzi is a group of freelance photographers who pursues celebrities in order to get photographs of them. The photos are in turn sold for profit through a variety of outlets. The more popular the celebrity, the more money the photos will earn.

Most of us have seen them in operation by way of the television. They often push the envelope of an individual’s personal freedom as their pursuit endangers the general public. They go to extremes in order to capture that one golden image for which they can be financially rewarded.

In recent months I’ve watched them in action up close and in person. Whenever one has information the paparazzi feels can aid them in their pursuits of wealth, that person becomes part of the target. They, along with the writers who write the captions and stories behind the photographs, show a tenacity with which Christians should be living daily. They get every piece of info they can and don’t understand what "no" means. As believers, we need that energy because our work is much more valuable than any photo or storyline.

The paparazzo is an individual with a personal goal of securing financial gain. But the Christian’s goal is to help other individuals find the way to true, eternal happiness which is found only in Jesus Christ. Celebrities and people of fame might be important upon the landscape of time for a season, but their popularity fades with the years.

After two thousand years, Jesus Christ is still the centerpiece of human society. He is either revered or cursed, believed to be the Son of God or a fallen human being like the rest of us, seen as a healer of the human race or the worst fable ever believed by mortal man. The name Jesus still scares the fallen world, just as His spoken word caused the solders, on the night of His arrest, to fall back (John 18:6), so the world fears that name today. If it didn’t, the world system wouldn’t go to such extremes to silent that name from the lips of the public square.

There are a few spiritual lessons we can draw from the paparazzi. First, note their persistence. They don’t give up in their efforts to get "that" picture . . . that special moment. Sometimes they sleep out on the ground in order to be at the right place at the right moment. They watch the goings and comings of their target and others who from whom they might secure info. No! They don’t give up. Neither should we in our goal to reach the lost for Christ and to disciple the saved around us.

Not only are they persistent, but they are unashamed. They gather at the public place, in the super market, or any other place where there might be an opportunity. They don’t care if we "red-necks" laugh at their caravans chasing a celebrity’s vehicle. But too often we Christians won’t get out of our comfort zone to share the greatest news the world can receive.

They are focused. There seems to be one goal — that magical photo! How I wish we could focus in on the love of Christ like they do their human image. When one has a focus, that becomes the central view, everything else is in the periphery. Why not focus upon the cause of Christ Who alone gives life eternal.

The paparazzi is also strongly motivated with an agenda. The allurement of a good return on their work pushes them forward in their pursuit. What would happen if those of us who claim Jesus as our Savior would be motivated with the Biblical agenda. There is no greater investment this side of Heaven than to invest one’s life in reaching out to lost folk. When the fact of an eternal Hell for the lost and eternal rest in Heaven for the children of God grips our hearts like it should, we shall become deeply motivated with an agenda that will have eternal rewards.

Yes, the paparazzi can be a headache, but they can also teach us a lesson which can result in spiritual obedience to the high calling of Christ Jesus to reach people with the good news of salvation.