American dancer and producer Stephen “tWitch” Boss was a husband and father of three who seemed to have it all. Here Hope Bonarcher refelcts on Jesus’ words about the darkness hidden inside us and the value of each person.

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Source: Reuters

Social media has been dampened by news of the suicide of a man well known to many as Stephen “tWitch” Boss. I was caught off guard by posts about his sudden death posted by friends and other well known personalities. He was an integral fixture and executive producer of one of the world’s most well known talk shows a talented dancer and DJ on “Ellen”, making him practically a household presence in America.

I took some time to peruse his Instagram page and that of his wife, Allison Holker, his partner on Dancing With the Stars who he later married. He adopted her daughter and the pair had two young children together. They come across as an enviable pair. Handsome, beautiful, stylish, cool, talented, successful; living the dream. Yet mere months after his 40th birthday and just days after his 9th wedding anniversary, he reportedly checked into a hotel less than a mile from his home for one night where he took his own life. 

The word of God implores us, someone can appear to have light and in fact possess a deep darkness.

As a believer, when I read about tWitch’s tragic suicide, this scripture came to mind: “Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!” Matthew 6:22-23.

Social media posts and YouTube describe the man as full of light. Photos of him smiling, dancing, carefree beside his adoring wife, show the same. He cared for others, encouraged them, added meaning to their lives. Seemingly one of the good ones, filled with light. Yet the word of God implores us, someone can appear to have light and in fact possess a deep darkness. Glowing accounts of his life dispute it in the natural, but the final scene of his story here on earth substantiate God’s truth. How deep Stephen “tWitch” Boss’s darkness truly was.

The human soul is valuable enough for the Lord Jesus to trade his whole world for on the cross.

It’s now reported he left a note alluding to a troubled past. Given all the worldly good his life encompassed; musically gifted family man, influential Hollywood presence, a reputation he prized so vehemently, this all pales in comparison to understanding the value God gives to a simple human life. “What good does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul? Is anything worth more than your soul,” Jesus asked, presupposing that a single human soul holds more value than the world! He alludes to this again in the parable of the pearl of great price. The human soul is valuable enough for the Lord Jesus to trade his whole world for on the cross. We are innately unique. We hold great value by nature of being created by a wonderful God. Possessions and station don’t alter this. I wish tWitch knew it. I pray you and I will know it too.