Meat Loaf and Rick Astley
I'm a child of the 1970's and 1980's. There was a lot to the 70's and 80's culture that should be forgotten and never repeated. However, some of the best songs came out of those decades, like "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" by Cyndi Lauper, "Beat It" by Michael Jackson, and "Like a Virgin" by Madonna.
Two great songs from my childhood have been rumbling around in my brain this week and have inspired some deep thoughts in regards to Christian habits and church commitment.
The first song that has struck me is Meat Loaf's famous "I'd do Anything for Love (But I won't do that)".
I recently came across a story in Matthew 19 where a rich man asks Jesus what he has to do in order to gain eternal life. Jesus asked the man a few questions and we learn that the man has led a very well-behaved life. Then Jesus drops the bombshell on the man who thought he had been good enough to earn the "Jesus Stamp of Approval" -- Jesus tells him to sell all of his possessions, give the money to the poor, and only then can he follow Jesus. The man didn't really want to follow Jesus, he wanted eternal life. He wanted the prize! Essentially the man answered: "I would do anything for love, but I won't do that."
The rich man left disappointed because he valued the comfort, security, and enjoyment of his possessions more than he valued the possibility of following Jesus.
I don't know many rich people and I know even fewer who value their possessions over their savior, so I have never seen this kind of dilemma play out in real life. However, I have seen plenty of people tell God (mostly through their actions) "I would do anything for love, but I won't do that."
What won't they do?
I would do anything for love but I won't:
Rick Astley had a better idea of how to serve Christ in life and at church when he said:
"Never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down
Never gonna run around and desert you
Never gonna make you cry, never gonna say goodbye
Never gonna tell a lie, and hurt you."
Imagine if we loved Jesus, our neighbors, our family, and our church the way that Rick Astley sings in this song. Imagine if we never gave up on Jesus or our church, even when we don't love the sermon we just heard or even when we disagree with a leader's decision. Or if we fought to protect our church or pastor's reputation in the community? Or if we refused to give up on the church financially or with our service, presence, or other resources?
Even though it's challenging, I'd rather live like Rick Astley's song than Meat Loaf.
Two great songs from my childhood have been rumbling around in my brain this week and have inspired some deep thoughts in regards to Christian habits and church commitment.
The first song that has struck me is Meat Loaf's famous "I'd do Anything for Love (But I won't do that)".
I recently came across a story in Matthew 19 where a rich man asks Jesus what he has to do in order to gain eternal life. Jesus asked the man a few questions and we learn that the man has led a very well-behaved life. Then Jesus drops the bombshell on the man who thought he had been good enough to earn the "Jesus Stamp of Approval" -- Jesus tells him to sell all of his possessions, give the money to the poor, and only then can he follow Jesus. The man didn't really want to follow Jesus, he wanted eternal life. He wanted the prize! Essentially the man answered: "I would do anything for love, but I won't do that."
The rich man left disappointed because he valued the comfort, security, and enjoyment of his possessions more than he valued the possibility of following Jesus.
I don't know many rich people and I know even fewer who value their possessions over their savior, so I have never seen this kind of dilemma play out in real life. However, I have seen plenty of people tell God (mostly through their actions) "I would do anything for love, but I won't do that."
What won't they do?
I would do anything for love but I won't:
- Feed myself: in other words, I won't read the Bible or do devotional time on my own.
- Talk about my faith, even on social media.
- Invite people to my church.
- Talk to new people at my church.
- Take time out of my week to attend a small group.
- Disciple others.
- Serve at the church I attend or in the community where I live.
- Give financially to my church.
- Invite visitors to try my small group or attend special events at my church.
- Genuinely love others, including people whose sin looks different than mine.
- Forgive others.
- Show grace in my words, even on social media (even during an election year).
Rick Astley had a better idea of how to serve Christ in life and at church when he said:
"Never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down
Never gonna run around and desert you
Never gonna make you cry, never gonna say goodbye
Never gonna tell a lie, and hurt you."
Imagine if we loved Jesus, our neighbors, our family, and our church the way that Rick Astley sings in this song. Imagine if we never gave up on Jesus or our church, even when we don't love the sermon we just heard or even when we disagree with a leader's decision. Or if we fought to protect our church or pastor's reputation in the community? Or if we refused to give up on the church financially or with our service, presence, or other resources?
Even though it's challenging, I'd rather live like Rick Astley's song than Meat Loaf.
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