Pastor Brad shared the negative influence rap music had in his development as a teenager during his message on Sunday.  As I sat there listening, I thought, "For me,  Alice Cooper was the performer I listened to over and over again."  I had all his albums (Yes, they WERE albums!), and my brother Kenn and I spent a lot of time listening to them.  As an intentionally developing follower of Jesus, who prayed and read his Bible nearly every day, I knew Alice Cooper's words and overall message conflicted with my belief system, but I really liked his style.  Something that happened in seminary showed me how truly contradictory that thinking was.  At seminary two friends, Andy Ross and Dave Myers, loved music.  Both were outstanding guitar players, and since I had an outstanding guitar (a Guild 12-string!) they let me sit in and strum chords while they played every kind and style of music. 

At one of those sessions, I mentioned how much I loved Alice Cooper when I was younger.  Dave immediately said, "Me, too!" He asked me what my favorite song was, and I said, "Probably the Ballad of Dwight Fry."  He said, "I have that."  Dave went to his music library and pulled out the album that had the song on it.  When he played it, everyone there just looked at me.  If you don't know, the song is about a man who was sent to an insane asylum, who misses his son, and hates the situation of his life.  He escapes and either strangles a man, or simply sees a man choking.  He is then about to be captured and shouts that he didn't want to be free.   (I know.  The song is bizarre.)  Are the words sinful in and of themselves? No.  Are they good for me, or anyone else?  No.  That takes us back to the Scripture we've been focusing on all week --  all things are lawful for me, but not all things are beneficial.

I wasn't permanently impacted by my teen music listening habits, but I certainly didn't grow closer to Jesus through them.  One of my favorite verses is Colossians 3:17 "Whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."  I wish that had been a "safety verse" for me in my teenage years, but it hadn't really come across my radar back then.  As we consider the music we put into our ears, minds and hearts each day, how much better to consider whether it's good for us, and whether we can listen to it in the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ giving thanks to God the Father, through him.  If the answer to those questions is, "Yes," then by all means let's listen.  Otherwise,  we will undoubtedly be able to find  better investments for our time!

Let's pray:  Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your reminder that our freedom in Your Son, Jesus, is given in order to motivate us to love and good works, rather than as license to do whatever we desire.  Empower us by Your Holy Spirit to remember that we are not our own, that we belong to You.  This we pray in Jesus’ name.  Amen.