The Problem With Being Ordinary

Earlier in the week, as I was getting dressed with the television on, I heard a news anchor comment on Prince Harry's "incident" in Las Vegas. If it is possible that someone hasn't heard about this story, I'll give a one bullet point summation.

• Prince Harry went to Vegas for a vacay, partied hard, ended up with nude pics of himself and a woman which made their way  to the internet and news.

Just to be clear, this post isn't about Harry. It's about the attitude I've seen/heard displayed regarding his "PR nightmare."

As I listened to the program coming from the TV, I heard the anchor talking about all the support that has been shown for Harry's discretion. He went on to say, more than once, that Harry was just a normal guy. He wasn't a bad person. It's perfectly normal for a guy to do something like that- he just happened to make the news because he was a prince. He's a normal guy, and that's okay.

Now before I go any further, you need to know that I'm not calling Harry a bad person. Please hear that. I don't know him, so I do not know his character. I'd like to think that he, like anyone, is not the sum of his mistakes. With that established, I want to say that it makes my heart sad to think that we consider such behavior as "normal," and "okay."

Less than 10  minutes earlier in the program that same anchor spoke of how he loved being a dad. He enthusiastically exclaimed that it had changed his life. Then he showed a picture of his young daughter. (I did not see the picture as I was in the next room.) It was positively adorable listening to him speak of his little girl and what it meant to be her daddy.

So now I'm wondering if his definition of a "normal" guy will be acceptable for his daughter when she is of dating age. I wouldn't think so, or at least I hope not.

Call me old fashioned or a straight-laced goody-two-shoes, but I think we need to be encouraging our children to be extraordinary. I've said to my kids (niece and nephews) several times that they should never settle for ordinary. And aren't we called to a higher way? The example set before us is Christ himself. That's pretty spectacular

Then I recalled a button I've seen several times on Pinterest.

It's true the world needs better behavior, but too many people think that is enough. It isn't. Being a good person isn't your ticket to eternity. The only true way to have eternal life is through the sacrifice of Jesus. 

I'd like to challenge the popular quote above. I think that your beliefs dictate your behavior, and if that's the case then we need to go back to the example of Christ. So I'd like to offer an alternative button... 

Let's encourage one another to be outstanding. Don't settle. Embrace the gift God has given, and be amazing.

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