King of Pop vs. King of Kings

I didn't mean to. It just happened. But I'll admit it now: I watched the Michael Jackson Memorial Service.

And I definitely wasn't going to blog about it. But I guess I've blown that one too.

I watched as people lauded the "King of Pop" for his message of love, his stand against racism, his charitable work and his bravery in the face of criticism. It saddened me.


I was sad for the misguided talk of God and heaven, for all the nice sentiments sailing wide of the target and for the lost soul of whom they spoke.

In Michael Jackson, I see a man made in the image of God who never saw himself that way, and it is sad. For all his worldly success, Jackson sought security by changing the hue of his skin and the shape of his face -- not to mention owning a chimp, wearing a glove, etc. His lyrics sometimes hinted at a belief in God, but other lyrics as well as actions spoke otherwise. It reminded me of 2 Timothy 3:5, "having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof."

And this applied to many of the people I saw on stage as well. Many professed to believe in a God and a heaven, though many of their own actions, words and music testified differently. It was a sad echo of society at-large, but not an entirely new phenomenon.

Romans 1:21-23: "For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles (might we substitute Grammys and Emmys?)."

But in the end, it was a story told by Michael's brother Marlon that captured me.

He told of entering a record store where he saw a man with long, curly hair, blackened teeth and baggy clothes buying a pile of CDs. He said he walked up behind the man and said, "Michael, what are you doing here?"

Michael replied, "How did you know it was me?"

And Marlon said, "I know you. I know the way you walk, your body language. I'd know you anywhere."

And that's the message of love that God, the King of Kings, was speaking to Michael Jackson for 50 years, and to each one of us who will listen still today: "No matter how you try to disguise yourself, I know you. ... I'd know you anywhere.
"You belong to me."