This review is not an attempt to lay blame or hype the issue that happened at the Oscars, which shook the moral nerves of human relations. Rather, it is to bring to us some very important spiritual lessons we can all learn from as Christians and non alike. Generally in life or as in all human endeavors, we are always thrown into circumstances or situations that require our immediate attention and or considerations. Sometimes, very unique and high value situations that need utmost diligence and remarkable foresight. Most regretfully, somehow our societies today have carved up this deceptive image that sheer brute force means strength, and those who exhibit the power of good conscience as weaklings and deserve to be in the back burner in the annals of human evaluations. That is, where decency, integrity, respect and honesty are shoved to the sidewalks for the high ovations to thuggery, moral abuse, disloyalty and other human devalues as the winning formulas of the day. The Oscars as we all know is the apex of awards for actors and actresses in the world. An annual event that usually attracts the best of the best in acting and where winning is akin to the mark of distinction in the whole fields of cinematography. However, in the ceremony that happened last weekend, instead of celebrating the event of the day, it turned out as an ugly incident of physical assault from Will Smith on Chris Rock live on stage to the glare of those present in the hall in Hollywood and viewers across the globe. It became the main news of the event. It was a global scorn that was below every moral and decent standard of behavior.
To put it in very simple but clear terms, this year’s Oscar ceremony was supposed to have been the Will Smith show to cap his long years of exemplary acting, who unanimously even before the show was already tipped as the presumptive winner of the lead actor award.
In that honest to goodness capacity, there was the issue of leadership by owning the moment. Going through the video clips, the comedian, as they usually do, always looks for easy spots or preys to pounce on in their theatrical displays. Some will argue that in this instance, Chris Rock crossed the line. It all depends, as comedians are always out to put up comic, ridiculous, tickling and side splitting shows.
That being said, we are drawing our spiritual lessons from the sickening event into our understanding and conduct, who believe that as conscientious humans, we have the honorable responsibility to see constructive dialogue as the most reasonable means to resolving issues and not violence. Hence, this is not a lesson for condemnation but simply to share our “ten cents” spiritual truth that may possibly touch our land to readdress our conflict resolution processes in varying spheres of life.
The first lesson is that of loss or lack of leadership. We most times think of leadership in political or in business terms. However, we also have these other types of leadership, like emotional leadership, visionary leadership, compassionate leadership, social dynamics leadership, spiritual leadership, relational leadership, pragmatic leadership, peers leadership, idealistic leadership, moral leadership, leadership of thoughts, mentorship, conscience, academics and a host of others we cannot mention here. There is even what they call leadership of self, meaning self- control or discipline. Now, in that very moment when the joke was said about his wife’s clean shaved hairstyle, Will Smith initially laughed at the joke but his wife did not appreciate it, because she is suffering from a medical condition of hair loss called alopecia, which was unknown to Chris Rock. However, her negative reaction or instinct fed something into the psyche of Will Smith as a man. Instead of looking at the big picture in front of him and those around the world watching the event, he lost the credibility of his leadership of the moment and that of self-control (Leadership of self), by acting out based on the negative instinct by going on stage to physically assault Chris Rock right across his face, went back to his seat yelling expletive comments. That is, whenever a leader in any endeavor loses the essence of leadership of his or her respective moment and self, the result is usually a downward spiral, except the individual immediately recognizes it and makes drastic adjustments to cushion the effect and right the ship. That negative instinct was not the fault of the person, but was the secret but direct manipulation of the spirit of disruption to invade and distract the situation. The leadership of the moment, of self, of the vision for the big picture, for good of all even in the face of bitter jokes from the podium was shoved aside and brute force took over. There was the unseen voice that spoke to his head…go and in that instance if he had consulted with his heart (Conscience), definitely he would have been told by the “still voice” to keep his calm or peace. God is Peace. However, that voice that told him to go, spoke to his ego and in that moment he was blind to reasoning, hence he gave up his leadership and acted out wrongly. The person that walked up to Chris Rock on stage was the body of Will Smith but the unseen force (spirit) that took control of that body perpetrated the shameful act. He even confirmed this with the advice Denzel Washington gave him that at the very height of one’s achievement that the enemy is more present to steal the show if we are not cautious, meaning taking control or leadership. This is the reason leadership of our souls matters a great deal. This is exactly what the Holy Bible means when it says, what does is profit a man (Person) to gain the whole world and lose his soul? The restoration of the glory of God to us through Christ Jesus is the meaning of leadership of the soul. The Holy Scriptures further tell us to walk in the Spirit and we would not fulfill the lust of the flesh. That is, using the Spirit of God in us to take control of our thoughts, emotions and actions.
Do not get us wrong, we make mistakes every day, but the word of God is perfect in all human situations. Hence, the ability to read the moment and understand its importance by not allowing negatives to take control is the key, meaning overcoming evil with good. This negative impulse can come subtly from anywhere and from anyone, sometimes from those close to us making us assume and act wrongly by believing that we are doing a good service to our spouse or loved ones. However, with the right support system around us, whenever we are about to lose it, the support system that recognizes the gravity of the moment would help our leadership train for eventual success by cautioning us to restrain. Good support system for leadership should not be based mainly on loyalty, rather more on truth telling to leadership.
What did God punish Moses for? It was because he lost his leadership value to lead the people more to the goodness of God by grumbling and striking the Rock twice, which was equivalent to not recognizing the Glory of God in that moment. This was exactly what Will Smith failed to recognize and rise up to leadership of the occasion by weeding off the negative impulse, because he somehow knew he was already tipped to win his first Oscar and would soon in less than 30 minute take the podium.
Jesus Christ after forty days fasting without food or water was tempted by the enemy to forgo His heavenly job on earth. However, He chose and stood on the leadership of God’s Glory by vehemently denouncing the dubious manipulations from the enemy.
This is what true leadership would have done in that circumstance. Take the hit of the joke using body language to calm the negative impulse, patiently wait for your moment to come and politely reflect on the joke within your acceptance speech and maybe reinforce it backstage with the comedian.
The second issue from the incident showed lack of inner harmony. This means, with inner harmony comes the ability to see through things or issues from the conscience of cleanness and thoughtfulness. Inner harmony does not necessarily mean to be calm and just allow everything that happens to let go. No, no, no. Inner harmony is the ability to pick your priorities at every given situation by sieving through contending issues but sticking to the one or two fundamentals that would carry us through to the level of internal strength and self-respect, which would eventually come to play in its appropriate time and setting that will put us on the good side of fairness and reasonable result by promoting and accommodating all the forces of goodwill after weeding off negative impulses. The results, effects and influences from inner harmony can be relatable or shared with others but inner harmony cannot be transferred. It is a personal essence and cultivated in the field of rigorous tests and attempts. The Holy Bible tells us our Lord Jesus Christ is our peace, meaning He is the power or strength that gives us inner harmony to see things or react to things that keeps His love in our hearts intact and growing more and more in His grace. By His grace in our lives, we have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in us, who is clean or pure and the thoughtfulness from His word would always make us take decisions that mostly align with His will, knowing that all things would turn together for our good.
If Will Smith had allowed his inner harmony to play out in the situation, all things would have turned out for his good because he would have had the podium to straighten out the issue, winning his first Oscar award, celebrating till now and so forth.
The next spiritual lesson is that of tolerance, which is the twin brother or sister to inner harmony. They come from the same stem and always drive towards the same goal. That is, to always weigh our options in deeper introspection, reflection, self-analysis and allow decency and respect to prevail. Whenever we weigh our options deeper in any given circumstance, the first signal it usually gives is integrity based on self-respect and the situation before us, and wrapped in decency, with the direct message that would always urge us to the thought process of tolerance. This has nothing to do with lack of ideas or actions to take that matches the level of whatever situation that comes to us. Rather, tolerance is having and going with the best or most viable option that gives the deeper and broader answer to the situation, not necessarily on what is expected but on what is right and reasonable even when viewed differently by others. Why? Tolerance means, you want to be the driver of the situation and not the situation driving us. The ability to take full control comes from a tolerable mindset because it gives us the cross-disciplinary, extensive perspective and value of decency of purpose.
The fourth salient point pulls all the other points together. That is, self-dignity built on love, truth and humility is the good news of the gospel of Christ Jesus and that was glaringly lacking from that outburst. Let us look at it properly. When your character is built on dignity from love, truth, and humility, we become examples of strength, protection, promotion, care, and every uplifting standard not only to our immediate families, but to others around us whether far or near. Self-dignity is not pride neither is it self-centered in arrogance. Rather, self-dignity in true love, truth and humility is that we understand who we are in the reality of God’s evaluations and will do everything within us to to make it our prized possession with honor and gratitude to the Creator for giving us the privilege to having the Father/child relationship with Him. Self- dignity in Christ Jesus simply means by grace we are saved through faith, not of yourself, but is the gift of God, who has now made us heavenly vessels in human bodies. That means, chosen vessels of His Glorious reign here on earth with the contents of love, truth, humility as spiritual streams flowing from our souls into our veins and organs in our bodies. Self-dignity is life of purpose that lines up with the full worth from God.
Will Smith spoke the words on stage, but when it was time to act on those words, he fell flat on his face in public display. While he was trying to show masculinity and protection, he totally misjudged the situation by blind arrogance with the mental capacity of wild animals in the jungle, which was discreetly invoked into his head by the spirit of error and led to orchestrate the work of the enemy. This was the clearest picture to all, who cares to observe that the ploys of the enemy might temporarily look inviting and caring…no, no, no. The work is always, we repeat with shout to the whole world, to steal, kill and destroy. At the end, it would be laughing away sheepishly at its victims. The clear picture here is that there is void in his heart and need remedy.
Chris Rock on his part understood the leadership of the moment. Instead, of reacting correspondingly, he buried his ego and allowed the occasion to move on smoothly. Even, behind the stage, he refused to press charges for the immediate arrest of Will Smith from the hall because self-dignity told him to show love and humility for the “brother” to enjoy his award as he was not going to be the spoiler.
Here is the clear and direct remedy. That is, if this message can get to Will Smith. His answer is to seriously embrace God in Christ Jesus in spiritual terms not religious because we all make mistakes and God is always willing to turn our tests into testimonies for His Glory, when we truly give our lives to Him to use.
He already has the platform as an established face in acting in the world. The mark he has put on his name would forever remain with him and no human therapies would help him out. They would give him temporary succor, but in Christ Jesus, that mark in God’s own way would be used to lift him up and glorify the goodness of God into the lives of others. It is a call to him from acting to the mission of peace, the Gospel of Christ Jesus.
That means, he would be used by God to become an ambassador of peace in different levels and places because he knows the pains and how cruel it is to be on the side of unnecessary violence that can be resolved through peaceful means.
In summary, some people might take the incident as just a normal human mistake, which is well understood and likely so. However, looking at it from a deeper level of spiritual insight, it shows to those who care to know how the message of God in Christ Jesus is so true and relevant in all human endeavors whether we accept it or not. What really happened there was just the master plan of the spirit of error to steal the joy from that good man and his family, which they rightly deserve. It was the classic display of the hands of the enemy, how it works when people allow it (spirit of error/adversary) to rule them, and it would have gone worse if the other party had not exercised some restraint, meaning self-control and leadership of the moment.
We pray for true reconciliation, healing and peace into his heart and family in this trying time in Jesus mighty name…Amen!
Jesus is alive as Lord over all things!