When I think of the first time I heard this verse, I thought it was specifically people or practices or worldly possessions. But then I would flip on music.
Music has always had a way of influencing my emotions and how I feel while listening to them. Music is an expression of emotion, seasons in emotions and things that can inspire emotion. All around music is always emotional.
Making you feel:
inspired
depressed
excited
turned-on
angry
content
sexy
empowered
degradded
careless
In a way music can have the impact that you ARE the person who's singing the song. That the lyrics can be interpreted exactly to your life... Or perhaps you begin to delute the thought process in relating to the lyrics... Imagine that this song is the story of your life, longing to be able to claim it as your own.
We begin to perform these songs in the car with the steering wheel as out microphone. We know these lyrics by heart and yet we don't even know what we're singing. We claim it's the beats that we are into but pay no mind to the lyrics... False. The lyrics stick deeper than you think. Soon a love ballad connects emotion to a love that was lost or a longing to be known. They can bring us into an alternate reality.
Music has the chance to empower, bring hope and celebrate joy. But it also has a way to alter our mind sets. This can cause us to focus on emotions that aren't even really existent in our current season of life. Kind of like Instagram or Facebook stats portraying something completely different than what really is.
In 2017 America was dubbed one of the most obese countries in the world ranked at #10.
How does this relate to music you're wondering?
I have a theory... Pop music causing obesity. Degrading music could cause us to careless about ourselves or others and then could lead to repercussions on self image, self worth, identity. Based on meaningless, crude lyrics that we know by heart, fall out of our our lip syncing mouths of day dreaming madness. Motivation and realistic expectations lost in translation based on a standard that has been created and will never be met.
Would we ever actually say such lines as:
" See you standing over there with your body.
Feeling like I want to rock with your body.
And we don't gotta think 'bout nothin'.
I'm comin' at ya.
'Cause I know you got a bad reputation.
Doesn't matter 'cause you give me temptation.
And we don't gotta think 'bout nothin'."- Ariana Grande- Side to Side
or
"I'm tryna put you in the worst mood, ah
P1 cleaner than your church shoes, ah
Milli point two just to hurt you, ahall red lamb' just to tease you, ah
none of these toys on lease too, ah
Made your whole year in a week to, yeah
Main b*!@& out of your league too, ah,
Side b*!@& out of your league too, ah... Hundred on the dash get me close to God, We don't pray for love we just pray for cars...
Look what you've done! I'm a motherf*@$in' Starboy."- The Weeknd- Starboy (*Explicit)
But would you actually even say these lyrics, these thoughts out loud to someone? why? what would ever be the point of having these shallow "conversations" or words with toward someone other than seeming power, image, wealth, authority? We are wrongfully defining what these words really mean and instead putting in what we want to believe.
Worldly image. I'm honestly saying that if you ever did say those things and mean them to anyone you know, you'd probably get slapped... But we can dream and imagine what it would be like, can't we?...Temptation.
"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is- his good, pleasing and perfect will."- Romans 12:2
Now I am not saying that "secular music"(non Christian music) is a bad thing... In fact I enjoy listening to "secular music". I do like the beats, I do like the pace, I do like the sound of SOME Voices. I also just really enjoy keeping up with pop culture and being able to converse about pop music and therefore give those who don't know Jesus an opportunity to see that we "Christian Folk" aren't so cookie cutter either. But it's when I begin to connect myself too much with the lyrics or song meanings, that's when I step away and put on some Hillsong or Bethel music. However it isn't JUST when I feel like other music is perhaps drawing me away from the Lord. I listen to both genres often and I can tell you that I see these aspects from an entirely different perspective. An un-healthy reliance on music, on musicians, music artists and celebrities if we aren't careful.
We. Need. Jesus.
Not Ben Howard music (which I enjoy) to allow us to be in a funk of depression and eventually lift us out once we feel sick of playing it. Not Angry aggressive music that makes us FEEL like we're being heard when we belt out the lyrics.
Jesus helps us cope with our physically flawed bodies whether mental or our misconception of self image in a culture that is so cookie cutter. Why else did God give each of us our very own finger prints, like no other?! Because we are unique and supposed to be ourselves and no one else. In anger He is there to remind us that things like anger, fear, anxiety are NOT of Him but of Satan trying to take control along with temptation and sin so that we WILL CONTINUALLY CONFORM TO THIS WORLD.
So why should we ask,
"Baby, what's it gonna hurt if they don't know?
Makin' everybody think that we solo.
Just as long as you know you got me. And boy I got ya.
'Cause tonight I'm making deals with the devil.
And I know it's gonna get me in trouble.
Just as long as you know you got me..."Ariana Grande- Side to Side
Why imagine life through shallow degrading song lyrics when you can live in the reality that Jesus can bring to you... A reality that is:
Truth in freedom.
Truth in love.
Truth in Identity as a Son or Daughter.
Truth in what is said about not conforming to the world. But instead, "Be transformed by the renewing of your mind."
-Keep Adventuring
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