Sacrifice of Praise

Let me begin by saying that this is NOT a treatise on musical style. That discussion is perhaps one of the most senseless discussions one could enter into. My own musical taste is varied. I can listen to jazz one minute and metal the next. I cut my teeth on southern gospel, which has the same structure as C&W. The important thing is that this is a matter of taste, not righteousness. Music is music, what makes it right or wrong is what we do with it.

Music is given to us by God for the purpose of stirring the soul (mind). It evokes within us emotions, excitement, reflection, love, repentance, and yes sometimes hatred. A story that is told musically is far more memorable than one that is not. When I refer to ‘Christian’ music, I refer to music whose lyrics are of such a nature as to incite praise or reflection on the role that God plays within our lives.

The genre of Contemporary Christian Music has seen an astronomical increase in popularity from the days of the ‘70’s when the first of the gospel rockers hit the scene. I attribute part of this rise to the fact that the secular music industry has abandoned a large segment of the population that is not into hip hop. Many of today’s praise songs have the same musical pedigree as the pop songs of yesterday. In that sense I would say that I would much rather hear the Christian lyrics than those of an immoral nature. Along with this incredible rise (which is truly demonstrated by the fact that such secular labels as Sony has become a major player in the Christian music market) has come another trend. Many of today’s artists have gained the same rock star following as groups like the Stones, or Styx did years ago. This can become a form of star worship. This speaks more to the fan than the artist. Some tend to think of these artists as being righteous and Godly because of what they do instead of who they are. There is a difference. The words may be right, but the fruit is what we need to inspect. The bottom line is we must worship God, not the messenger.

I personally know a man who was with several popular Christian groups. It is interesting to watch people’s reaction when they learn who he is. It is as if he were somehow different than we. This is wrong. It is wrong for us, it is wrong for the artist, and it ALWAYS leads to destruction. Whether that person is an artist or a preacher, when they become the object of worship, our eyes are no longer on God, but on his creation. (See Romans Chapter 1). Any such person who promotes this attitude should be watched carefully. What we do should turn people’s faces toward God, not us.

Along with this fame sometimes comes the fortune. All too often we see living proof of Christ’s admonition to the rich young ruler when He said it would be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom. I believe that in some cases songs are being written to sell a CD instead of as a true outpouring of one’s soul.

I know several people who write songs. All of them have been blessed with a talent which allows them to take their emotions or their life’s focus and transform them into the words and musical strains that touch our lives. Some of these people write from a very deep place of experience and feeling, others write in order to come up with something that is catchy or popular. The difference is that one sings their song to the Lord, the other to the congregation or the audience. Each will receive their reward.

I love music, I love to play music. I have some ability to do so, and when I do the music should flow not as a performance for others, but as an expression of praise. Now, so no one thinks that I think I am special, let me say my talent is very limited and I don’t always exercise it as I should. It is during those times that I walk away feeling that something was missing. Of course there was, the music was supposed to be for the Lord, we sing to the Lord, we bring the SACRIFICE of praise, not the performance of praise. PRAISE IS A SACRIFICE…NOT A PERFORMANCE!

I pray that we once again return to the place of putting music in its rightful place in our worship. It is a part of worship, it is expression, and it should excite us or bring us to repentance. Music, or the artists that perform that music, should never be the object of praise, and no matter what your talent level you should always be able to express yourself in this way to the Lord. God does not differentiate the quality of the praise based upon our talent level. My dear grandmother, who could not carry a tune to save her life, spent most of her days singing at the top of her lungs to the Lord. She once told me that she may be tone deaf, but by the time her song reached the Lord, He had corrected all the mistakes and He heard it as the sweet song of praise that it was. She could never record an album, however her songs live throughout eternity in the ears of God, and she is as respected as any big time recording artist.

Today as you listen to your music, or sing it, remember what it was intended to be.

Tomorrow I will return to a lighter style.

Enjoy the coffee,
Jim