The Miley in Me

It's been a couple weeks now since Miley Cyrus' jaw dropping performance at the VMA's and she still remains to be one of the most talked about people. Tweeted, Facebooked, and blogged about, I, too, have found myself delving into the what seems to be a train wreck or one of the most brilliant publicity ploys ever. There has been a great deal of judgement, harsh opinions, and open letters over the singer's behavior, which is somewhat justifiably due to the numerous teen girls in the country that look to Miley as a role model. Strangely, I find myself identifying with the pop star.

This Hannah Montana "no more" is arriving at her early 20's. I don't know about you, but my early 20's didn't look much less appealing than any one of Miley's recent performances. Sure, I might not have been poised naked on a wrecking ball or twerking with Beetlejuice, but my life didn't look anything like what it does today.

I was a mess in my early adulthood era. It was plagued with all kinds of doubt to my identity, bad decision making, immaturity, irresponsibility, and an ugly and hurtful 6 year relationship I had no business being in. I was trying to find myself but instead lost myself. Friends and colleagues often wondered where my old self had vacated to, I was empty and searching for something to fill me. To this day, I still look back and wonder who in the world was that girl. She sure wasn't me. It's like looking at the Miley in me.

You see, Miley and I are one in the same. Her sins aren't any greater or worse than mine. She may be exemplifying all the wrong choices while trying to find her way, but like Miley, some of us can be a little more extreme that others when it comes to finding ourselves in our rebellion. But really, it makes no difference to Christ. It's all the same sin in His eyes and it doesn't make her have any less chance of being His daughter in the Kingdom. It's what He gave his life for.

Beauty for Ashes! It all becomes part of God's beautiful story to glorify Himself in the end. We are a beautiful story! And sometimes, a beautiful mess.          

The difference is surrendering and giving Christ the opportunity to take over our lives and heart and make a right relationship with Him. God took hold of me along with every one of my bad decisions and covered me with His love, mercy, grace, forgiveness and overwhelming kindness. He guided and restored me back to a place of righteousness. Without Him, I would still be wandering.

Every single one of us is broken. Miley is no different. No different than me. I'm only separated from the Miley in me by my encounter with the Father and His continual love and forgiveness to wipe me clean.

Instead of judging a person full of sin, look at them as empty of Christ. How are we to love them towards the Father?