February 21, 2020 – Click here to listen
Stephen Spielberg. is an American filmmaker who became a household name as the director of Jaws followed by Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and Jurassic Park, and many others. He has won the Academy Award for Best Director twice. Some of his movies are also among the highest-grossing films, and his total work makes him the highest-grossing film director in history. His net worth is estimated to be more than $3 billion.
With that backdrop it is amazing to learn that his daughter Mikaela Spielberg, announced that at age 23, she intends to follow a career in adult entertainment. As a teenager, she was sent to a boarding school and suffered from anxiety, eating disorders and alcoholism and says she nearly drank herself to death on a daily basis. She presents her choice to work in adult entertainment as overcoming such hardships, not a result of them.
“My body, my life, my income, my choice,” Spielberg said. She said she shared the news with her parents, who were supportive of her choice, and she also made it clear that they were unaware of the abuse she was exposed to. She says her work will be focused on erotic solo performances and is currently working to get her stripper’s license in Tennessee.
Most people think of those who have fame, fortune, power, and off the charts accomplishments as super-heroes able to leap tall buildings with one bound. But the dirty truth is they are just people and there is nothing super about them with one possible exception, they are exposed to more temptation than the average person because of their position. Imagine sending your daughter off to boarding school and not even knowing that she is experiencing severe alcoholism, anxiety and eating disorders. I feel so much compassion for this young girl who has lost her way. I wish I could offer her some fatherly advice and spend time teaching her how much God loves her and that becoming a sex worker in the porn industry is not the best way to spend her life. It seems Spielberg would be interested in the same.
So, what is Stephen Spielberg doing to help his daughter? I suppose he’s spending his time making more movies, attending Hollywood parties and recuperating from them on his $200 million yacht and living it up. He sent his kids to boarding school which gives him time to yuk it up with his rich and famous playmates.
We have all heard the expression being “down and out” and in fact many ministries focus on down and outers as their life’s work. There just as many, if not more, “up and outers” that need to hear about the love of Jesus. It seems the devil has a stranglehold on them, and they are in danger of losing their very souls.
This made me think of Robert Johnson, He is known as the best delta blues singer that ever lived and his influence is still felt today. According to legend, as a young man living on a plantation in rural Mississippi, Johnson had a tremendous desire to become a great blues musician.
Legend says he was instructed to take his guitar to a crossroad near Dockery Plantation at midnight. There he was met by a large black man (the Devil) who took the guitar and tuned it. The Devil played a few songs and then returned the guitar to Johnson. He made a deal with him giving him mastery of the instrument in exchange for his soul. With this power Johnson was able to create the blues for which he became famous.
But at what cost? Johnson died at the young age of 27. By all accounts he was murdered when a jealous husband saw him flirting with his wife and poisoned him with a bottle of whiskey laced with poison. Many years later he was inducted into the Hall of Fame on the first vote, but it isn’t doing him much good now is it?
So many people envy and wish they could be like those so called “beautiful people” they see on the big screen, or performing at concerts, or excelling at sports. Some, like Robert Johnson would seemingly sell their soul to achieve it. Behind the veil of the glitter is a life spiritually unfulfilled, usually saturated with alcohol, drugs, failed marriages, kids who have lost their way, sadness, and so on. All humans strive for peace, joy, love, and hope in their lives. There is but one way to find them and that is through Christ. All the money, fame, power, achievements and yachts in the world cannot buy it, but we can all have it for free by just following our Lord and Savior and making Him the focus of our lives. Imagine becoming super rich for free! Why, you don’t even have to go to college . . .
Matt. 16:26
And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?
Have a great weekend and go to church this Sunday!