Thursday, January 15, 2009

Shooting Our Wounded

I recently started reading a book called Grace Is For Sinners and it really has me thinking about how much God is in control of everything and how little control we have. The book focuses on the way the church tends to treat believers who stumble or fall away and how harsh we can be when someone in the church falls into sin. I was reminded of this even more recently when I started doing some research on Katy Perry. As I've told you previously I am a huge music fan and even though I didn't know it I am no stranger to Katy Perry. In 2001 I bought a CD by a 16 year old named Katy Hudson. It was a very good CD, the singer had an amazing voice and the lyrics were not your typical "god or girlfriend" variety but were solidly based on scripture and to this day the song "Trust In Me" is one that pops into my head when I'm struggling with worrying about something. Well it doesn't take long at all to find out that Katy Perry and Katy Hudson are the same person. That's right the same person who wrote "But you said don't worry/for I've healed the blind man/and I've set the captives free/and you said don't worry/for all you gotta do is put your trust in me" in 2001 wrote "I kissed a girl and I liked it/the taste of her cherry chapstick." in 2008. The song was a huge hit and if you have a teen I'd venture to say it's on their iPod somewhere. How does that happen you ask? I dunno, I dunno Katy so I don't know where heart was in 2001 or where it is 2009. I do know that I've read plenty of snarky comments on "christian" websites about how she was never really a believer, or how disappointed her parents must be and those are the mild ones. I do know that the God she sang about in 2001 is the same God in 2009 and his love for her hasn't changed and until Katy is dead there's always hope. Who knows maybe this time is Katy's time to be "sifted like wheat" and 10 years from now she'll be an example to all the believers. But dog piling on the girl just makes us look like some elitist country club that has decided to revoke her membership because she doesn't meet our standards. Does this mean I'm ok with the bigger issues that I Kissed A Girl presents or that I think parents don't have a right to monitor what their kids listen to? Absolutely not, and I think as a parent you should be familiar with what your kids are listening to and watching. I'm just saying that instead of villianizing Katy, try for a minute to see her as Christ does and remember that the same blood he spilled for your bad stuff, he spilled for her bad stuff too.

4 comments:

justjuls said...

This is such an important issue. I can't wait to read that book - but it's been on my heart for a while now. Who are we to judge another person or what work God might be busy doing even as things look contaminated and beyond repair. Our perspective is so limited. Even in those awful moments of our lives - God is working - and it is there I think that He often does His most beautiful thing. I think no matter what we need to remember that only HE knows when someone is beyond His reach.

justjuls said...

To finish that thought - if he doesn't give up on them, why should we?

Unknown said...

awesome thoughts. Thanks for sharing. I don't know anything about this girl at all except for the name of the one song. The scandal causing one--not the Christian one.

Kathie said...

Dwayne... YOUR playlist and I are having issues! Since you have moved it to the left hand side of your blog it overlaps your blog entry and I can't see what you have written! Sometimes it doesn't matter because your entry is short and other times I just wait until you've written more and then I can see the whole thing, but I was very interested in this blog and I can't see it! Jut letting you know....So could you please move your playlist or write more on your blog. Thank you!