Just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him. - Colossians 2:6

In a survey, 2,000 American eighthgrade students were asked to name famous people they admired and wanted to be like. Those most frequently mentioned were movie celebrities.

Commenting on this, a writer named Sidney J. Harris said he was concerned that each of the famous men and women named was either an entertainer or an athlete. He noted that statesmen, authors, painters, musicians, architects, doctors, and astronauts did not seem important to those students. He said the heroes in our society are people who have made it big—but not necessarily people who have done big things.

Could the same thing be happening among us as Christians? Do we sometimes idolize the wrong people? James 4:4 says, “You should know that loving the world is the same as hating God. So if a person wants to be a friend of the world, he makes himself God’s enemy" (ICB).

Think about this: Do you want to think and talk and act like Jesus? Then think about your heroes. Are you following people who will help you do that?

Following famous people might be okay if we’re careful—if they are leading us toward godliness. But the best thing to do is to keep our eyes on Jesus!