For many girls, the Super Bowl performances on Sunday were a celebration of femininity and girl power. Talented artists like Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, Michelle Williams, Alicia Keys and Jennifer Hudson sang and danced on the media’s largest stage of the year: The Super Bowl. But imagine with me for a moment if all of this star power, talent, femininity and glamour was used to exalt the name of Jesus.
How amazing would that be?
I want to show you the difference between two performers, Jennifer Hudson and Beyoncé. They had the same audience, same platform, yet completely different showmanship and performances.
Jennifer, who is very talented and beautiful, looked classy, dressed modestly and gave a stellar performance without dancing provocatively. Beyoncé, who is also very talented and beautiful, danced in a way that should only take place between a husband and wife (well minus the Illuminati signs and the worship ‘I want to feel your energy’ part). She was dressed in lingerie and danced provocatively.
My heart longs for a generation to rise up and stand for purity. Sadly, what I see in front of me is a generation of women who do not know that they are God’s masterpiece. We see a complete violation of what God designed our bodies for, “…these bodies that were made for God-given and God-modeled love” (1 Cor. 6:17, MSG).
Hear me out here, to me, her performance was soft porn. I wouldn’t want my (future) sons and daughters to ever see a performance like that. My sons, because it was completely sexual, and I don’t want those images in their minds. My daughters, because I don’t want them to think that to be an attractive women you have to look, dress or act like that.
I want to say to you, young women, that what Beyoncé did at the halftime show is not something you should praise, or strive to imitate. Sure, she knows how to dance and she can sing like nobody’s business, but she is not doing it for the glory of the Lord. She is doing it for a paycheck. Everything we do should be for the glory of the Lord.
“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31 GWT).
Ask yourself, did Beyoncé’s performance glorify God?
So whatever we do, we should do it to the glory of God. Sure, Destiny’s Child came out and people were screaming Beyoncé’s praises, but did it bring God praises?
Beyoncé has this beautiful gift, that the enemy (Satan) has twisted to use for his kingdom. Beyoncé was born into a Christian family and she said in one her first popular songs, Survivor, “I’m not gon’ compromise my Christianity (I’m better than that)”.
What is Christianity? It is following Christ. Christ has called us to follow Him. It says in 1 Corinthians 8:13 that if what we do causes another believer to stumble, then we should have no part in it. And then Jesus says that even if a man looks at a women with lust for her, he has already committed adultery with her in his heart (Matt. 5:28). The way Beyoncé is displaying her body to people causes men to stumble and influences women to follow her behavior.
Girls, we need to be aware of the devil’s ploys so we can resist them!
In Lisa Bevere’s new book Girls With Swords pg.87-88 she says this:
“Our present culture is more likely to encourage women to dishonor their bodies with immodesty, impropriety, obesity and other eating disorders, than to honor their bodies through modesty, propriety, and moderation. What was once commonly held as virtues—integrity, a good name, and a sterling reputation—are not longer celebrated in our culture’s songs. You are more likely to hear lewd dance moves, expensive accessories, fast cars, and women flocking to men who flash cash in the club. Seduction has been substituted for beauty, and the power of manipulation is rewarded over the influence of wisdom.”
She hit the nail on the head here. Our culture is prioritizing the wrong things.
“Everything you say or do should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Col. 3:17 GWT).
I want to encourage you to see the world through the eyes of Christ and not the eyes of the world.
“Don’t become like the people of this world. Instead, change the way you think. Then you will always be able to determine what God really wants—what is good, pleasing, and perfect” (Rom. 12:2 GWT).
Be different. Be set apart. Strive for purity.
Alyssa Shull and her husband founded Shull Ministries International. Through this ministry, they travel speaking in churches, hold outreaches overseas and host Skunks TV, a youth television program. She also founded The Pink Lid, a conference designed for girls ages 12-18.
