Rebels Without A Cause: The Storyline

Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents...

Matthew 10:21 (NIV)

A rebel is 'a person who resists any authority, control, or tradition' (Random House Dictionary).

Back in 1955 (my birth year!), a handsome young actor, named James Dean, rose to fame in an award-winning film: Rebel Without A Cause.

Check out the IMDB storyline: 'Jim Stark is the new kid in town. He has been in trouble elsewhere; that's why his family has had to move before. Here he hopes to find the love he doesn't get from his middle-class family.'

When the fictional character of Jim defied every form of authority (social, parental, and governmental), he epitomized disillusionment.

Was Jim, the rebel.. James, the actor, too? Did this popular American star embody the raw disillusionment countless teens felt back then… and feel today?

Consider Dean’s actual life story: his much-loved mother died when he was nine. His dad sent him to live with relatives on a Quaker farm. Various stories revealed a hard childhood.

Both Jim Stark and James Dean searched for the love that neither of them had received at home. (Dean died in a car crash at 24.)

Here’s the point: If rebels without a cause buck authority for no good reason, the Cause and Reason they lack is Jesus!

He’s the one perfect Reason to be found in a mean and unreasonable world. Therein, finding the Cause becomes the Cure.

Today's trending American idols aren't so different. A way-too-fast car took the life of James. The way-too-fast lives of celebrities continue to take the lives of our youth, as fans race to follow the stars they love.

Actors, models and talent for Christ: Your King commissions you to show God’s love. As you grow in fame, fans, and followers, rebels without a cause see something new: a smiling family with open arms.

Rebels Without A Cause: The Storyline (Part 1)

NOTE: This is a 2023 update of a 2013 Carey Lewis Devotion. You may see notes to 'Actors, Models & Talent for Christ.' If you think you're not in show business, think again. Shakespeare said, 'All the world's a stage and all its men and women merely players. Mostly true. But you're not merely players. You are messengers and ambassadors for the King of kings.