Wise words to Justin Bieber

Int’l (MNN) — It’s hard to look at Justin Bieber today and not wonder when the last time he had a loving adult bestow some wisdom on him.
Ron Hutchraft of Ron Hutchcraft Ministries recently wrote to Bieber through a blog post entitled, “A Grandfather’s Three Big Ideas for Justin Bieber.”

Hutchcraft begins the post by sharing that he has six grandchildren, one who is Bieber’s age. The points hit hard–but not just for Bieber. Hutchcraft’s argument is convicting for any of us, Christian or not, who are living in the moment with little thought for the future.

The first big idea Hutchcraft shares is this: “You’re not just choosing something to do, you’re choosing a road you may be on for years to come. And the question is: will it take you where you want to go? We, we don’t think about the destination.”

Hutchcraft explains that if he could speak to Beiber right now, “I would say to Justin Bieber–I would say to an entire young generation–what many of us discovered years down the road: We’re living today in the house that we built years ago.” He says that what we are creating right now with our choices will be our life: body, reputation, scars, baggage– all of it.

When we asked Hutchcraft why he wrote the post, he said, “I honestly hope that people, first of all, will stand back and look at the choices they make.”

In the article, Hutchcraft uses the metaphor of traveling and getting off at the wrong ramp. The ramp is just the choice for the moment, but the road it takes you to is the one you have to travel down. If you realize right away that you’ve made the wrong move, you have to waste time getting back on track. In the same way, you may make a choice just for the moment and have to deal with the consequences for the rest of your life.

The second idea is that your choices are caching these consequences even if you can’t see them yet. He uses the metaphor of a credit card. In the moment of purchase (or the moment you make a choice), you don’t necessarily have to pay for it. “The bill will come with interest.” Hutchcraft says, “The Bible guarantees us that whatever you sow, you will reap…. There’s not one of us who hasn’t given into temptation in our life, and when we did, we believed the lie temptation tells us: forget the consequences.” Whether we regard the results right now or not, “We are building a house that we will live in for years to come.”

The blog is posted on Hutchcraft’s new website: Anewstory.com
Hutchcraft explains that the purpose is not to raise money or volunteers. It isn’t to provide discipleship material for people. It is a safe place for lost people to encounter Christ.

The Web site, complete with blog articles, videos, and the truth of the Gospel, is attune with Hutchraft’s and Ron Hutchcraft Ministries philosophy: “My heart all my entire ministry life has been for folks who have not yet had the opportunity to truly understand- or maybe even hear for the first time–what we’ve heard so many times, many of us, and that is what Jesus did on the middle cross for us. [We want] people to hear about this incredible love, to hear about the fact that our problems are really symptoms of a real disease that we have. And that disease is our away-ness from God because we’ve hijacked our life by sinning against Him. Jesus died and rose again, and offers us the chance to escape our sinful lives to reap blessings of good choices.”

The articles involve current, real-life world issues, as well as problems of the individual who soaks up worldly lifestyles. Each blog ends with helpful videos. Hutchcraft wants to get people to the point where they are asking what God would want them to do in various situations.
While the website has only been live for a short time, many people have already accepted Christ as a result.

Maybe you already have people pouring these concepts into your life, and so the content isn’t exactly fitting for you. But you still can help and be blessed by the site. Invite your neighbors, family, coworkers, and friends to visit the Web site. Read the posts and see what insight you can obtain to pass on to those you’re ministering to.

The final idea Hutchcraft passes to Beiber is the encouragement that Bieber was made for more than himself. This idea goes along with one of the themes of the Web site: “Why am I here?” Hutchcraft encourages us to ask ourselves: “Are we living too small? Are we living in a selfie world where it’s pretty much all about me, and I’m the sun and you’re the planets and I want everyone to revolve around me? [I’ll] tell you, that’s a lonely, empty, hurting life. A life that’s as only as big as me is really a too small a life to live in.”

Remember, you were made by God, for God. Pray that this realization would come to many lost people as they encounter the Web site.