A Tale of Two Men

   Saturday evening I went to a christian event called The Good News Cafe. It's a monthly event centered around worship in its many forms. Different people get up throughout the evening and lead the worship through their own unique expression, through song, poetry, dance, etc...That night a young man named Dobbriale closed the evening with passionate song and praise to the Lord, creating an atmosphere that moved many to feel the strong presence of the Holy Spirit. I left the event and headed home to Harrisburg, anxious to get there and eat everything in my fridge. As I came in the house I flipped on the TV and SNL was on. As I was in the kitchen preparing a sandwich, I heard music coming from the TV, signally that SNL's musical guest was performing. That night it happened to be the singer Miguel. He was singing a song called "How Many Drinks". I couldn't help but stop and think about the comparison between Miguel and the young man Dobbriale, from earlier in my evening. Both men are young, good looking, and in the prime of their lives. Both with the gift of a good singing voice and that special energy that can lead an audience. But that's where the similarities seemed to end, and when taking an even closer look, the extreme differences seemed to be even more apparent.

Both young men sang of love...but a very different love. In Miguel's first song he sings; 

Frustration, watching you dance,

Invitation, to get in them pants...

Temptation is calling your name,

Sweet persuasion, baby this is the game...

How many drinks would it take you to leave with me?

Yeah you look good and I got money,

But I don't wanna waste my time.

In a later song called "Adorn", he sings; 

You just gotta let my love,

let my love...

let my love adorn you,

Ah let it dress you down...

The love that Miguel is talking about, if you can even call it love, because its definition is not the true meaning of the word, is based solely on momentary gratification. It looks only for what it can gain from another human being. Purely selfish, which as we know, is not love.

On the other hand, Dobbriale sang of an enduring love, one that comes from a God who created love, who IS the definition of love. He quoted the scripture from I Corinthians 13;

Vs.1-2 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

Vs.4-7 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

The messages of love from these two young men are complete opposites. One coming from a love of self, the other a love of God. One degrading human worth, the other lifting people up so that they can see their true worth. One reducing people to a meaningless object that is only wanted if it can bring something to them, the other showing people how precious and meaningful they actually are in God's sight. 

This past year Miguel was listed on Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the country. (Yes, I made a sickened groan too when I heard it) Although this may be the sad fact, I guarantee the influence that Dobbriale had over that room Saturday night of about 50-60 people, is a much greater and more meaningful thing than the thousands or more that are influenced by that other guy.

-Just a note, if you live in the Harrisburg area and would like to experience this great time of worship at the Good News Cafe, they meet at the Midtown Scholar the first Saturday of the month. Below is their fb link.

 https://www.facebook.com/groups/177165272359457/?fref=ts

From the Dark Forest into the Sunny Meadow

A key to being ready for God to change and move in you is letting the past go. It is not you anymore. That person you were, that's a stranger. You are not them anymore. You don't need to look back anymore. You don't need to question it, analyze it, dwell in it. It's all been wiped clean by the blood of Jesus. Don't let the devil put thoughts of your past in your head. He wants you to keep re-living it all because he knows that's what keeps you stuck in it. He wants you stuck because that means you've stopped moving on the path Christ has set out for you. Once you absolutely give it all to the Lord and tell Him you won't look back, He's ready to work on you and use you for greatness.

Some of us have gone through a little, some a lot. Some choose to walk through a clear, sunny meadow. Others of us choose the dark woods. Me, because of my own pride, chose the forest path, filled with many rocks, branches, and thorny bushes. Thankfully, after stumbling down this path for many years, I chose to grab onto the hand that was extended and was waiting to pull me out.  The only problem was, although I was now living in the light, the sounds of the dark forest behind me were still calling out, and I was still listening.  Even though God was working in my life, and I could feel His continuing guidance, as well as see the changes it was bringing about in me, I still saw myself in the old light. I still felt the burden of the me I used to be. I decided one day to write all of the things of the past on a piece of paper, put them in a pot, and burn them, symbolizing to me and showing to the Lord that I would no longer dwell on them or let them be a part of my life. Once I fully recognized this trick of Satan's to keep me tied to old things, and I opened my eyes to the fact that God had already moved on and no longer recognized that former person, I became free to really move in His grace. I could now fully realize the plans He has for me.

If you have found God's grace but can't seem to let go of the past you, pray to the Lord and let Him know you believe He has wiped you clean. When old thoughts and negative memories threaten to replay in your mind, tell them, "That is not me anymore. I don't know that person. I am a strong, beautiful child of God."

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT)