Stewardship Month
“Stewardship of Adversity and Attendance”
In April 2023, Jamie Foxx (actor, comedian, and singer) suffered a brain bleed that led to a stroke and a twenty-day hospital stay. In his 2024 Netflix Comedy Special “What Had Happened Was,” Foxx shared that he didn’t remember the arduous ordeal. Nevertheless, he thanked God for his recovery and a second chance at life. Even though Foxx’s comedy special has received mostly positive reviews, some people have offered critical assessments that address a perceived gap.
In his MSNBC article, We’re All Rooting for Jamie Foxx. But His Netflix Special Is a Missed Opportunity, Jarvis DeBerry reacts to Foxx’s attempt to attribute his stroke to God’s intervention in his life. DeBerry writes, “Foxx turns what’s billed as a stand-up routine into an hour-long testimony about a God who’s good ‘all the time’ and, in Foxx’s telling, exhibited that goodness by causing his brain to bleed.” DeBerry argues that Foxx could have done more to help the audience and viewers by raising consciousness about stroke statistics, the percentage of young stroke victims, and the lack of medical awareness and training needed to provide proper medical care in those instances. DeBerry contrasts stroke awareness with Foxx’s testimony that his stroke occurred because he had stopped going to church. He concludes that Foxx missed an opportunity to highlight that “medical emergencies happen to people of all ages” and that people need to recognize the signs and “symptoms of stroke” and “keep their blood pressure under control.”
As a researcher, I appreciate DeBerry’s focus on a legitimate missed opportunity in Foxx’s presentation. However, in his article, DeBerry shares his affinity for “raising awareness about kidney disease and kidney transplantation” because of his own extensive battle with kidney disease. DeBerry wanted Foxx to explicitly focus on offering a public service announcement about stroke awareness.
However, I noticed a few issues as I read DeBerry’s article. First, he didn’t share how Foxx’s testimony highlights a believer’s need to become a good steward of life’s adversities and maintain regular attendance within a local faith community. DeBerry omitted any scriptural bases in his article that contradict God’s sovereign right to afflict those He loves. DeBerry says praising “a God who sickens and immobilizes those He loves… [is] an example of Black folk theology.” The biblical text, not “Black folk theology,” acknowledges and highlights God’s sovereign right and ability to faithfully afflict those who belong to Him. In Psalm 119:67, the psalmist testified, “Before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now I keep your word.” In commenting on this passage, C. H. Spurgeon wrote, “Often our trials act as a thorn hedge to keep us in the good pasture, but our prosperity is a gap through which we go astray.” In his comedy special, Foxx shares how he allowed success, fame, and fortune to move him from the person and place that significantly contributed to his past achievements. In a 2019 Christian Post article by Leah MarieAnn Klett, Foxx shared his relationship with God. Without that relationship, Foxx might have attributed his sickness to chance or luck. However, Foxx had a theological foundation from which he could frame his testimony about a divine affliction that Spurgeon says has “spiritual benefits,” “awakens the conscience,” produces confession, and stirs the disobedient to a place of obedience.
Contrary to what some might believe, God can sovereignly use any unfavorable circumstance for His divine purpose. God used the horror and evil of Calvary to bring salvation to a lost and dying world. Moreover, we should never forget that God can afflict those who belong to Him to show the legitimacy of the Father and child relationship and to produce holiness and righteousness in His children’s lives (Heb. 12:5-11).
A second observation is that DeBerry didn’t provide context for Foxx’s comment about his lack of church attendance, nor did he celebrate Foxx’s recommitment to church attendance. In Klett’s 2019 Christian Post article, Foxx said, “I grew up in church, I mean, church, every single day. Church, church, church, church.” He also shared how his grandmother “insisted her grandson memorize the Bible” and show others kindness and compassion. Foxx also stated, “Faith, in our culture, especially as black folks, you know, you go to church… I can’t think of too many black people that don’t say ‘amen’ on Sunday, no matter what we do on Monday through Sunday.” Since Foxx has this kind of religious background, I can understand why he would want to testify of his failure to live out Hebrews 10:25, where the Hebrew writer stated: “not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” The Hebrew writer encouraged those who thought about giving up on assembling to never overlook the mutual benefits of being in a religious community. Through church attendance, we are exposed to a community and culture of giving and receiving essentials indicative of interdependency and interconnectedness that results in all members sharing love, encouragement, and service (vs. 24-25).
I don’t think anyone can create a perfect Netflix Special that can’t be critiqued or doesn’t lack any gaps. However, I’m grateful that Jamie Foxx testified of God’s goodness amidst his health crises. In Psalm 119:68, 71, the psalmist acknowledged God’s affliction in his life. He pointed out God’s continued goodness when he wrote, “You are good and do good; teach me Your statutes…. It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes.” Even though God afflicted him, the psalmist didn’t move from viewing God as being good and doing good despite the possible painful challenges he endured from God’s affliction.
Moving forward, we should remember that no believer is beyond God’s sovereign right to afflict His children. We must allow God to use our time of suffering to grow and develop us for His glory. We should never doubt or overlook the power of a communal relationship and the benefits of choosing interdependent versus independent living. The latter fails to provide the essentials needed to grow and become more like the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Pet. 3:18). Finally, all believers should become good stewards of life’s adversities and our attendance within a local community of faith.
Sources
DeBerry, Jarvis. “Jamie Foxx’s New Netflix Special Missed a Big Opportunity.” MSNBC.com, MSNBC, 13 Dec. 2024, www.msnbc.com/opinion/opinion/jamie-foxx-netflix-what-had-happened-was-illness-stroke-rcna183892.
Klett, Leah MarieAnn. “Jamie Foxx Opens up about His Christian Faith, Reveals “Vision” for United Church.” Christianpost.com, The Christian Post, 19 Dec. 2019, www.christianpost.com/news/jamie-foxx-opens-up-about-his-christian-faith-reveals-vision-for-united-church.html. Accessed 18 Dec. 2024.