All photos courtesy of Unsplash
Tom Selleck, the Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning actor known for roles in hits such as The Closer, Blue Bloods and Magnum P.I. credits his success solely to his faith in Jesus Christ.
However his faith was not always where it is today. Selleck says that his life as a Christian has been pretty rocky.
What many people may not know is about his commitment to values. As a child he took his father’s words to heart, saying, “A man is only as good as his word.” He learned that hard work pays off.
After graduating high school he tried to pursue his dream of attending the University of Southern California. But due to high tuition fees he surrendered his dream for a season. He worked diligently, paying his way through Valley Junior College and winning basketball scholarships. Then as junior in college he was able to fulfill his dream and complete his education at USC.
He has been very successful in his career. Before he became culturally influential, Selleck was a college basketball player with occasional roles in Pepsi commercials and episodes of The Dating Game.
In his younger years, he was working on a degree in business and had plans for a management-training program with United Airlines when he decided to get serious about an acting career, according to Parade.
After graduating from college, Twentieth Century Fox offered him an acting contract but he felt that God wasn’t calling him to acting then. He decided to listen to God’s call to go into the army.
Selleck learned the values of the U.S. Military from his parents at an early age. The lessons taught by his mother and father shaped him into not only an actor, but also a veteran and a man of integrity.
During the Vietnam War, Selleck was issued draft orders. He joined the California National Guard in the 160th infantry regiment. He served from 1967 to 1973. He later appeared on California National Guard recruiting posters.
The military left a strong impression on Selleck and he looks back on his service with pride: “I am a veteran, I’m proud of it,” Selleck said. “I was a sergeant in the U.S. Army infantry, National Guard, Vietnam era. We’re all brothers and sisters in that sense.”
After the army, he came back to acting. It was his role as Thomas Magnum that changed his life forever. Even after getting this acting role, he continued to listen to God.
“As good as this business has been to me, that’s not what life is about. Life is about more important things. You know, we’ve all struggled as we get successful in this business to balance that, I certainly have,” Selleck said.
He took another big break in acting in 1980 when he got married but he credits all his success in life to Jesus Christ, who he claims is his Lord and Savior.
Selleck says he always tried to conduct himself in an ethical way and that is what matters most. He attributes his fortune to Jesus Christ. Although it is an individual who makes plans for a lifetime, it is God who guides him through them, he says.
“A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps,” Selleck said. “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”
Tom Selleck’s Quiet Faith
He has said, “My family is my first priority.” But Tom has been relatively quiet about his faith, one time saying “I am not particularly religious.” But it has been reported that he is a member of the Disciples of Christ Church. And the ‘Jesus Daily’ said, “He attributes his fortune to Jesus Christ and strongly believes that although it is an individual’s heart that makes plans for a lifetime, it is the Almighty who guides him through them.”
Only God knows the heart and salvation is through ‘repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ’. The Bible teaches that Jesus is ‘the way, the truth and the life’ and that no one can come to the Father (God) without faith in the Lord Jesus. It is however refreshing to know that Tom Selleck is one of the people in Hollywood holding to traditional values, ethics and good character.
These are collected items from various publications and do not reflect the authors views about the faith or lifestyle of Tom Selleck.
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