Today's featured song is from Billy Joel's sixth studio album 52nd Street. It earned Joel 2 Grammys, Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance - Male, in 1979. 52nd Street
was a pioneer of sorts for Billy Joel and his record label Sony Music
Entertainment (originally Columbia or CBS). The album was the first of
four Billy Joel records that would top the Billboard Album Chart. It
also became the first commercially released album on the then new
compact disc format in October of 1982 as it went on sale in Japan. You
read it here folks, the cd is officially 34 years old.
"My Life" was released in the fall of 1978 and peaked at #3 on Billboard's Hot 100 in early 1979. Donnie Dacus and Peter Cetera from Chicago (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Saturday In The Park", Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Vote For Me", Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Alive Again") provided backing vocals for the song as well as singing the "keep it to yourself, it's my life" with Joel on the outro. "My Life" was one of three singles released from 52nd Street to chart. "Big Shot" peaked at #14 and "Honesty" went as high as #24.
While
musically the decade of the 70's is closely associated with Disco, in
reality musical trends were all over the charts. Just like the culture
in which it catered, the 70's tends to be the decade of transitioning
from the "we" mentality of the 60's to the "me" mentality that was
quickly embraced by those of us embarking on our formative years. By
the late 70's, the popular theme of unity that seemed to be the mantra
of the Woodstock and Jesus People movements was waning. Replacing it
was an individualism that, suffice it to say, bordered on the most
selfish, egotistical, and prideful generation the world had ever seen.
Gone were the "Kum ba Yah" moments while singing around a campfire. We
were now experiencing the "My Life" moments that Billy Joel and many
others in the music industry were perpetuating as we listened alone in
our apartments with the headphones on.
The 70's became the decade that hospitality died. We
no longer bought groceries for those "just in case times" of "Who's
house are we going to after church tonight?" Gone
were the days of going to another family's house on the spur of the
moment, without notifying them (gasp!), and playing cards or visiting
until the wee hours of the morning. If we found our friends in the
middle of yard work or other chores, we pitched in and helped so we
could spend as much time together as possible. Sadly, this sense of
community gave way to
the "I don't want someone in my house, because they might judge me"
mindset that settled upon mainstream America and gets worse each passing
year.
As
history reflects,the decade of the 70's would feel the impact of
decisions made in the 60's. One example is prayer being taken out of
public schools. "When Prayer Was Taken Out Of School" Heart of Wisdom blog
The 70's ushered in the ultimate in selfish behavior as the Supreme Court ruled that abortion was legal in Roe v. Wade decision. Women and Men continue to suffer the consequences physically and emotionally as a result of this decision. As of January 2015, 57,762,169 abortions have been performed in the United States. Imagine the lives lost. Imagine the ingenuity and artistic talent lost. And for the more secular minded... Imagine how many social security dollars and tax revenue 57,762,169 folks could have provided. "I don't care what you say anymore, this is my life." Fortunately, there is hope. Many states are taking aim at abortion and limiting its impact. There is much more to be done.
Yes,
followers of Jesus succumb to this selfishness and lack of hospitality
as well. When is the last time you had your pastor over for a casual
evening? For that matter when is the last time you had your closest
friends in your home for a casual evening? I confess for me and my
house...it has been too long. It is much easier to plan a once a month
fellowship with your Sunday School class at a restaurant or other venue,
instead of having the intimacy of the home surrounding us. "Go ahead
with your own life, leave me alone..."
The
Bible says much about the interactions we have with our fellow humans.
The passage with the most impact regarding this is found in Paul's
letter to the Phillipian church:
If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care— then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.
And with regards to hospitality
Everything in the world is about to be wrapped up, so take nothing for granted. Stay wide-awake in prayer. Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything. Be quick to give a meal to the hungry, a bed to the homeless—cheerfully. Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it: if words, let it be God’s words; if help, let it be God’s hearty help. That way, God’s bright presence will be evident in everything through Jesus, and he’ll get all the credit as the One mighty in everything—encores to the end of time. Oh, yes!
1 Peter 4: 9-11 The Message/NASB parallel
Everything in the world is about to be wrapped up, so take nothing for granted. Stay wide-awake in prayer. Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything. Be quick to give a meal to the hungry, a bed to the homeless—cheerfully. Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it: if words, let it be God’s words; if help, let it be God’s hearty help. That way, God’s bright presence will be evident in everything through Jesus, and he’ll get all the credit as the One mighty in everything—encores to the end of time. Oh, yes!
1 Peter 4: 9-11 The Message/NASB parallel
We
have an opportunity for these trends to change. Today's 20 Somethings
are coming around to a sense and drawing to community. They don't want
a church that meets just on Sunday mornings. They want the children of
God to be together in a less structured, more intimate environment.
They seek the truth in its most organic form. We remember what it was
like, and they desire for it to be that way. How can we make it
happen? Be hospitable. Don't see someone else coming into your
"personal bubble" as an annoyance or interruption. See it as an
opportunity to share Jesus if they don't have a personal relationship
with Him or celebrate Jesus if they do. Meet someone for coffee...at
YOUR house. We still live in a country of abundance. We still serve a
King who is love and desires for His followers to have community. Let's
act like love and community exist in our homes. So...to who's house are
we going this Sunday night after church? Are the preacher and his family coming as well?
'Til Tuesday
Serving HIM by serving you,
Randy
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