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My Answer: Fame is fine, but faith is better

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Q: Is it wrong to want to be famous? I’m 15, and I’d love to be a well-known celebrity like some of the people I see on TV. I’ve even dreamed about moving to Hollywood when I’m older.

— R.H.

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A: Fame in itself isn’t necessarily wrong if a person comes by it honestly and hasn’t compromised his or her moral integrity. After all, Jesus was famous in his own day. On one occasion, the Bible says, “The crowds almost crushed him” (Luke 8:42).

But I strongly urge you not to make this your goal in life. For one thing, you’ll almost certainly be disappointed, because for every person who becomes a celebrity, thousands of others fail to reach that goal. Fame is also fleeting; today’s celebrity is often forgotten in a few years.

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But more than that, fame seldom brings happiness. Why do we constantly read about celebrities whose marriages fail, who end up on drugs or alcohol or who even commit suicide?

Instead, I urge you to put Christ first in your life and seek his will for your future. God knows all about you. He made you, and he loves you and knows what is best for you. Begin by asking Jesus Christ to come into your life. Then make it your goal to seek his will for your life every day.

Don’t be misled by those who claim happiness only comes from fame or fortune, for it doesn’t. True happiness — happiness that lasts — comes only from God, and it can be yours as you put Jesus Christ at the center of your life.

God knows your needs, and Jesus’ promise is true: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33).

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Q: My husband and I were in our teens when we got married, and it lasted less than a year. Now several years have gone by and we’re seeing each other again. Would it be wrong for us to remarry? Does the Bible say this is wrong?

— K.C.

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A: I find nothing in the Bible that would prevent you from remarrying under these circumstances, if you truly are committed to each other and are willing to overcome whatever problems you had before. The Bible says, “Marriage should be honored by all” (Hebrews 13:4).

Let me, however, make some suggestions as you consider this decision. First, make sure it is God’s will for you to remarry, and not only your own desire. Pray about this decision, and ask him to show you if this is his plan for you.

More than that, make Christ the center of your lives — and your marriage. If you’ve never done so, ask him to come into your lives, to forgive the past and give you hope for the future. God gave marriage to us, and he’ll give you wisdom and patience for the years ahead.

Then examine honestly what went wrong in the past. Was it simply immaturity? Was it fights over money, or each demanding attention (and not getting it), or hurtful words? Only you can say — but be honest, and ask God to help you overcome these in the future.

Finally, let God’s word, the Bible, be your guide, as you read it and as you learn more about it in your church. Above all, discover what true love is by learning about Christ’s self-giving love for us.

The Bible says, “Love is patient, love is kind.... It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking... it keeps no record of wrongs” (1 Corinthians 13:4-5).

Send your queries to “My Answer,” c/o Billy Graham, Billy Graham Evangelistic Assn., 1 Billy Graham Parkway, Charlotte, N.C., 28201; call 1-(877) 2-GRAHAM; or visit https://www.billygraham.org.

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