When the Shoe Fits

I have been frustrated for several years by some trends in Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) and American pop Christian culture, and now I have put my finger on why. Timing. And discernment. It's not a matter of IF the shoe fits, but rather WHEN the shoe fits.

God has revealed to us everything we need to live godly lives and to honor him faithfully (2 Tm 3:16-17; 2 Pt 1:3). Any Christian would readily affirm that. But do we realize the importance of applying the right truth at the right time, of discerning the situation?

Christian radio stations are filled with songs telling the listener they are loved, they are beautiful, that God wants to prosper them. All true, but these are not always the right messages at the right time. I am aware that these messages are expressed by individuals, or small collaborative groups, who have been inspired to minster to the downcast and abused. Perfectly appropriate. For the downcast and abused.

But when a culture at large feasts on these themes, it throws gasoline on the fire of entitlement, ego, and the prosperity theology. These songs rightly should and do minister to individuals in desperate situations who need encouragement - for them they are much-needed salve in open wounds. But when they are also consumed by people who - especially compared to most other people in the world, and throughout history - are excessively prosperous, lacking no basic needs, and largely self-absorbed, the message transforms from medicine to recreational drug.

We act as though our big problem is that we have it so rough. Really? Is that our big problem?

I am afraid we have gravitated toward the types of messages given through the OT prophets to reassure the broken-down remnant of God's people, or those of the NT epistles meant to encourage the persecuted church of the 1st century. But we are more like the church of Laodicea : "[we] say, 'I'm rich; I have become wealthy and need nothing,' and [we] don't realize that [we] are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked'" (Rv 3:17). There are many individuals who truly do need positive, encouraging truth, but maybe as a culture we are the spoiled child who needs the message of rebuke and correction that leads to repentance.

The difficulty of the situation is that promoters are motivated to push content that is positive and uplifting because, frankly, that is what sells. But the impetus is on the consumer to discern whether and how to apply the messages to their own lives. Many do not. And since there is little balance - to include themes of confession of sin and repentance, of dependance upon God, of idolatry, of service  - the indiscriminate often become adherents to false gospels.

We are like evangelists who passionately deliver well-rehearsed speeches without ever asking one question of the hearer; like doctors who prescribe without doing any examination or acquiring a list of symptoms; like judges who make pronouncements without hearing any testimonies of the facts.

And here is the crux of the problem. Truth is to be spoken in love (Eph 4:15). That requires a conversation, a dialogue. We don't do enough of that anymore. We offer flip-flops to the ranch hand, high heels to the nurse, designer dress shoes to the courier - the shoes don't fit.

For the truly abused and downcast, by all means we must deliver the message of hope and life in Christ. But for those who think "abuse" is getting the wrong coffee from the barista, or a property tax increase on a half-million-dollar home, or a rate hike on a credit card - for those of us perhaps a different truth is more timely. Perhaps the shoe of contentment, or of stewardship, or of serving others. Perhaps we need to try the shoe of "redeeming the time."

For myself, somedays I really DO need to hear "you are loved, you have value, God wants to bless you." But most days I need different shoes, like "to whom much is given, much is required."

And for our culture AT LARGE, I am afraid we are often peddling the wrong shoes. I suppose this makes it that much more important that we, the church, and as individuals engage in real conversations with people, so we can draw from the whole counsel of God and offer people shoes that fit.

(By the way, shoes that fit perfectly can be uncomfortable until they are broken in.)