Welcome to Tuesday! Sit back, relax. The weather is finally cool enough for your morning coffee to warm you all over. It's the time for blankets and throws, a warm fire, and a good book or blog. It's the time of year where we anxiously anticipate the colors of the trees, the bite in the morning air, and college football's twist, turns, and touchdowns!!!
Autumn and Spring are our favorite seasons at The Notes! Here in Arkansas (did you see that the University of Arkansas Razorback football team won this past weekend? Woo Pig Sooie!!!, maybe 2020 isn't so bad after all... ), the temperatures are perfect, and while there usually is some rainfall, this rain typically makes the sunny days all the sunnier. There is only one thing that makes fall days less stellar, the stealing away of daylight as the days grow shorter. Speaking of stealing...(did you like that segue?)
The 90s were a time when the genre of music known as "Alternative" blossomed. Bands that would have once been considered only for independent labels, found themselves thrust into the spotlight and given record deals with the major music distribution services. And like previous generations, it seemed these bands tried to find the most interesting names possible. Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, Portishead, Cake, Gin Blossoms, Smashmouth (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "All-Star" (Smash Mouth)), and Collective Soul (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Shine" (Collective Soul), Tuesday's Musical Notes - "December" (Collective Soul), Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Blame" (Collective Soul)) to name just a few.
Another group with a name catching moniker was one of the first bands to reach mainstream audiences with the alternative sound. This band was Jane's Addiction. Formed by frontman Perry Farrell as a break off from his band Psi Com, Jane's Addiction has featured 10 musicians in its on-again/off-again history. These instrumentalists included 2 members of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, specifically Flea (bass guitar, trumpet (who knew?), and Dave Navarro (guitars and keys).
Jane's Addiction quickly came into the spotlight as one of the pioneers of the burgeoning alternative sound. Their first album, Nothing's Shocking has achieved Platinum status and the album that today's featured song comes from the double-platinum, Ritual de lo habitual.
"Been Caught Stealing" hit #1 on Billboard's U.S. Modern Rock Charts, spending 4 weeks at the top spot. It became the band's biggest-selling song. According to Rolling Stone Magazine, it is well known for "the best use of dog barks since Pet Sounds" (the 1966 album by The Beach Boys, (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Be True to Your School" (The Beach Boys), Tuesday's Musical Notes - "I Get Around" (The Beach Boys)). It was assisted in its chart success by its award-winning (1991 Best Alternative Video at the MTV Video Music Awards) music video featured above which shows the band in various forms of stealing from a local store or bodega. It seems like everyone in the video eventually gets in on the act of thievery. I wonder where Jane's Addiction would have gotten the concept of everyone at some time or another being a thief???
As a reminder, in this instance, the Hebrews are hearing God audibly as He gives them the ten commandments. He provides the Mosaic law to the new nation two additional times, both in written form, but in this case, the Israelites are hearing the voice of God. Can you imagine that? I believe I would be listening!!!
"Don't steal" joins the list of commandments that God provides no elaboration as He gives the ten commands to the children of Israel. Notice that the commands to not commit murder, adultery, stealing, and lying all have no further explanation than their one statement. This would cause one to think that these commandments would be very black and white. But as man has in every instance so far, "stealing" has been justified over and over again as a means by which, sometimes even legally, one can take another's property. God, with the Israelites listening at the base of Mt. Sinai, makes all instances of theft a sin.
It is easy to become cynical in our modern times when we read about those who embezzle, either getting away with it or not receiving "just" punishment. But before we are so quick to judge, have we looked in the mirror lately? Remember, Jesus said that on 2 commands hang all of the others, "Love God, Love everyone else" (The Gospel of Jesus according to the disciple Matthew, chapter 22, verse 36-40 NASB/AMP/KJV) With this statement, Jesus affirms all of the Mosaic Law as He teaches that each law pertains to either our relationship with God or our relationship with each other. To take someone's personal property, without buying or bartering for it, adversely affects our relationship with the person to which the property belonged. This is not the way to show love. Yet, we do it constantly.
Flashback to 1969 or 1970. You know, once when I was 5. I was being raised in the church. I knew that it was wrong to take anything that did not belong to me, yet the worst spanking I ever got came when I shoplifted a Seven Dwarfs candle from Howards Discount Store (a regional competitor of Wal*Mart, who obviously failed to compete). I had told my mother I wanted it. She said "no". So I took it and hid it under my coat until we got to the car. Upon revealing that I had it, my sweet, petite, demure mother transformed. Well, you can just imagine. I was disciplined there in the parking lot and was made to go in and return it to the manager on duty and apologize. Then I was disciplined even more when I got home. Needless to say, since then, the movie Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs has failed to be a favorite Disney classic.
Now, I know that I am not alone and many of you could probably tell a similar tale. But even as adults, I fear we take things that are not ours and attempt to justify it. It's just a simple fact. "I don't make enough in my paycheck so I'll clock in a little early every day and go get a snack until its time for me to report to my station." You've just been caught stealing... "They give us up to $1 over/short every day on my register till when we do an audit, so I'll handle the money perfectly and take the $1 as a tip" You've just been caught stealing... "I really need to pay more on this credit card bill this month. I saw the church's financial statement and they are getting along fine without my meager tithe..." You've just been caught stealing "I really need a little break, no one is going to miss me if I don't go to church" You've just been caught stealing...walk right through the door...
Since we've gone from preachin' to meddlin' we may as well say it. You may be asking yourself, how is it stealing to not go to church? As one who is created in the image of God, anytime we do something that takes away from Him and His glory, it is stealing. Anytime we do not utilize a resource in which He has blessed us for His kingdom, it is stealing. Anytime we don't attend His church for the purpose of glorifying His name and encouraging His people because we just don't have time, it is stealing. Anytime we play priest, or scribe, instead of samaritan, it is stealing.
So if everyone is a thief, what hope do we have? We have the hope of repentance. We have the hope that as believers in Jesus' salvific nature, we are redeemed. We have hope that we can have the strength to fight the temptation to steal, even if we are a cleptomaniac.
God's perfect example of forgiveness for stealing happens when Jesus was crucified. Jesus was tortured and nailed to a cross so you and I can be forgiven from all sin. His goodness is given to us when we believe He did this for us. In fact, His goodness being given is one of the last acts on this earth He did: The Gospel of Jesus according to Dr. Luke, chapter 23, verses 32-43 NASB/AMP/KJV. This man was being given the worst corporal punishment ever created for stealing, yet Jesus tells him that he will be in heaven because of his belief.
Paul also provides a remedy for this particular sin and it's very simple. Stop doing it! Go find a job so you can provide for yourself AND have the resources to help someone in need when the time comes!!! The Apostle Paul's letter to the Ephesian church, chapter 4, verses 25-28 NASB/AMP/KJV
Helping others should be our motivation, by doing so, we show our love of God and others. And we do it just like that...
'Til Tuesday,
Serving HIM by serving You,
randy
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