The “O” Factor

Last Wednesday, the world watched as Oprah closed out 25 years of hosting a phenomenal, world changing talk show. People across the globe welcomed her into their homes every evening to be entertained, inspired, and most importantly educated on the happenings in the world they live in. She not only gave us stories of the Hollywood celebrities and icons, but she told the stories of everyday people with the same amount of respect and passion. Her generosity is one that is hard to match and there’s no wonder why she is blessed beyond measure and able to experience a life that most people can only dream of.

Still, with everything that she has given and all of the lives she has impacted for the good, there are people who have shunned her because of her questionable religious beliefs. So much so that she felt the need to address it in her closing remarks. Throughout the three day celebration, Oprah repeatedly called on the name of Jesus. Thanking Him for allowing her to live out the vision set before her. Oprah is a talk show host, not a pastor. She makes her living in the secular arena and she’s exposed to the entire world. She is a brand and part of marketing a brand is knowing your audience. It would not be very business savvy on her part to isolate herself and risk losing her appeal to a massive audience that is sure to make up every religion known to man. Similar to my last post, it’s more important to draw people to Christ by your actions, rather than your preaching.

Oprah is the prime example of living out what you believe. She may have never uttered the name of Jesus but her actions, her heart, and her passion for people exuded everything I know to be of Him. This past Sunday, a pastor spoke about how he’d pick a man who lived out 5 Bible teachings over the man who could quote 500 any day. Haven’t we learned by now that some of those same men that can preach circles around you quoting scripture from Genesis to Revelations, are the same ones we can read about sleeping with little boys, having extramarital affairs, and babies out of wedlock? Weren’t those same people claiming Judgment Day on May 21st proclaiming Christianity? I’m not belittling the role of a pastor… I have an awesome pastor! What I am saying is that God cares about your works. He cares more about what you’re doing than what you’re saying.

Oprah isn’t perfect. She has areas in her life that may not be in line with the Word of God but she’s real. She’s humble. She acknowledges His presence in her life, though subtly. By the end of her show you know who she gives credit to for her success. Here are a few quotes from her last show that I deem worthy and a bit of my own commentary of what it all means in the grand scheme of things. No it’s not scripture but let’s not get so spiritual that we can’t hear the voice of God in the simple words shared by everyday people.

“… Nobody but you is responsible for your life. You are responsible for your life. What is your life? What is all life? What is every flower, every rock, every tree? Energy. And you’re responsible for the energy you create for yourself, and you’re responsible for the energy that you bring to others.”

– Last Sunday, we had a 15 year old guest speaker at my church. He’s a pastor’s kid whose rebellion turned into revelation. After years of disobedience and disrespect for the calling on his life, he learned that he did not get an automatic pass because of the works of his father. He had to grow a relationship with God on his own and take responsibility for the call on his family’s life.

“Don’t wait for someone else to complete you. ‘Jerry Maguire’ was just a movie.”

– As a single woman, I know this all too well. Yes, companionship is healthy and wanted but before you can appreciate the love of someone else, you must first love yourself. You need to know that you are complete within yourself and the person for you will compliment you, not complete you.

“I wait and listen to the guidance that is bigger than my meager mind…The only time I ever make mistakes is when I don’t listen. What are the whispers that are in your life right now? And will you hear it? Your life is speaking to you right now. What is it saying?”

– This is right in line with what my pastor is teaching on… the importance of increasing your hearing. You have to know God’s voice and be confident enough to move on what you hear because you know its God.

“I believe every single event in life that happens is an opportunity to choose love over fear.”

– I’ve had some pretty cruel things done to me over the years. Things that could have gotten me to never trust “love” again… but I’m wiser than that. I won’t fear it… I’ll just perfect my understanding of it so that I’m better able to distinguish between what’s fake and what’s real.

“There’s a difference between thinking you deserve to be happy and knowing that you are worthy of being happy. Your being alive makes worthiness your birthright. You alone are enough.”

– Enough said. I can’t make it any clearer than how she put it. Receive it!

“I’ve talked to nearly 30,000 people on this show, and all 30,000 had one thing in common — they all wanted validation. … They want to know, do you hear me? Do you see me? Does what I say mean anything to you?”

– It does matter who you hang around. Remove yourself from toxic relationships that drain you and infuse you with negativity. Get with people who have your answer and stay away from those that have your problem.

“This is what I was called to do…Everybody has a calling, and your real job in life is to find it.”

– This is my search. I refuse to live a life outside of my purpose. I will find it and excel in it.

“I’m talking about the same one you’re talking about. The Alpha and Omega. The Omniscience, the Omnipresent, the Ultimate Consciousness, the Source, the Force, the All of Everything There Is, the one and only G-O-D.”

– For anyone that questioned it, there you go…G-O-D.

“You also have to know what sparks the light in you so that you in your own way can illuminate the world. You have the power to change somebody’s life.”

– How many times have I said, my life is not my own? It’s not all about me. My choices will affect someone else’s life so I must choose wisely.

“I’m truly amazed that I, who started out in rural Mississippi in 1954, when the vision for a black girl was limited to being either a maid or a teacher in a segregated school, could end up here. It is no coincidence that a lonely little girl who felt not a lot of love, even though my parents and grandparents did the best they could — it is no coincidence that I grew up to feel genuine kindness, affection, validation and trust from millions of you all over the world. From you whose names I will never know, I learned what love is. You and this show have been the great love of my life.”

– We can break every strong hold in our lives with the power of God. He lines up people for us to come in contact with throughout our lives to give us what we need and propel us to higher levels.

“Well, I say, all sweet, no bitter. And here’s why. Many of us have been together for 25 years. We have hooted and hollered together, had our a-ha moments, we ugly-cried together and we did our gratitude journals. So I thank you all for your support and your trust in me. I thank you for sharing this yellow brick road of blessings. …I thank you for being as much of a sweet inspiration for me as I’ve tried to be for you. I won’t say goodbye. I’ll just say, until we meet again. To God be the glory.”

– To God be the glory. The end.

Be BOLD,

Be FABULOUS,

Be YOU

Tuesdays with Bianca