No, I'm not talking about the 1992 Sir Mix-a-Lot song, "Baby Got Back". Frankly, that's a little out there for me. I'm more in tune with a more recent riff on that rhyme...
But since I'm a (musical) child of the 80's and 90's, I still have all these tunes stuck in my head; more and more they come to mind as I am reading the Bible. I know, that sounds a little weird, but I can't help thinking about a key line in an old song and wondering how it can be re-imagined as a way to promote Jesus. Kind of like the video above.
This past Saturday I had a veritable avalanche of musical imaginings. First, I heard the old ZZ Top song, "I Thank You". The key lyric is:
You didn't have to love me like you did
But you did, but you did
And I thank you
Anyone who is a Christ-follower can't help but see the connection between those lyrics and what God has done for humanity through Jesus.
Later, I was finishing up my devotional; the Apostle Paul was recounting in 2 Corinthians 12:9 how Jesus spoke these words to him: "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness."
And Paul goes on to say, when talking to the Corinthians of boasting, "But I would rather boast about my weakness, so the power of Christ will dwell in me."
For some strange reason that old Sir Mix-a-Lot song popped into my head and I kind of turned Paul's words around and asked, "How big are your "buts" today?"
I've heard people say, "Yes, it's so important to have the love of Christ in you - BUT - don't be a doormat," or, "I'm a Christian - BUT - if that person does that to me one more time...," or, "I try to love my neighbor as myself - BUT - that guy is just unloveable."
We all have big "buts". We all have lines that we don't want others to cross. We're ready to follow Christ - BUT - ... and that's when others look at us and say, "See? That's why I don't go to church or believe in that stuff."
Maybe the world would see Jesus differently if our "buts" weren't so big.
Many in the world today keep asking for proof; proof that God exists. Proof that Jesus is who He says He is. Maybe, if our "buts" weren't so big, they would have their proof?
What do you think.
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