GN Commentary: July 10, 2009 - Michael Jackson—The Man in the Mirror

Do you really know the person you see in the mirror? And more importantly, is this the person you want to be? 

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Video Transcript

On Tuesday, July 7, the media and entertainment world stood still while Michael Jackson, the king of pop was memorialized.  The worldwide audience was estimated to be close to one billion people.

What was there about this man that caused such an outpouring of love and affection?  Was Michael Jackson a saint or was he a freak?  The media would have you believe one or the other. 

But in reality, Michael Jackson was neither.  Like other famous men, he will be remembered for his actions—the good and the bad.

Michael Jackson shared his wealth with many underprivileged children. He gave millions to charity every year.  He gave support to children who were dying from cancer.  His musical talent was universally praised.  He could light up an audience by doing his patented moon walk across the stage. 

But there were other issues in Michael's life.  He suffered emotionally from a lost childhood.  He was put on trial for molesting children.  In one case he settled out of court by giving the alleged victim a reported 23 million dollars.  The second case ended with a "not guilty" verdict.

For some he will always be the saint who could do no wrong, god-like in his position in the world of entertainment and unjustly persecuted by the world at large.  To others he will simply be a freak who happened to have talent.  Still others will never be able to separate him from the image of a child molester.

In 1988, Michael Jackson won a Grammy for his song "Man in the Mirror."  The lyrics are haunting:  "I want to be good.  I'm starting with the man in the mirror.  I am asking him to change his ways.  If you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and then make a change."  

This song makes an important point about our human existence.  Each of us must look in the mirror every day and probe who or what we really are.  One of the wisest men to ever live was King Solomon.  In Ecclesiastes 12:14 he wrote "For God will bring every work into judgment.  Including every secret thing, whether it is good or whether it is evil."

Your popularity or lack thereof in this life will not determine God's judgment for your future.  It is the hidden man in the mirror that God will judge.

Even though one billion people watched his memorial, some praising him while others ridiculed, we are still left to wonder who Michael Jackson really was.  Who was that man in the mirror?  This is the same question each of us must ask ourselves every day. 

Do you really know the person you see in the mirror? And more importantly, is this the person you want to be? 

For GN magazine, I'm Jim Franks.