Whatever They Do to You They Do To Me





Acts 9:4

 "And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?"


 I had an interesting dream the other night about giving a talk based on a 1980's Christian Alternative Rock lyric in the song "10,000 Wishes"  by the band Vector. It is from the album Temptation.

 The lyric is "Whatever They Do to You They Do To Me."  The song seems written to a lover or a deep friend. Its message: A radical solidarity to share suffering with another. Hold that thought while I digress down a rabbit trail for a spell. 

 The album has been in the car CD player since September or so. I tend to play a CDs over and over before moving on. I just kill it and drive it into the ground big time. Scorched Listening Policy. 

 Before Temptation, this summer, it was Dog Man from King's X.  The album longest in duration was Pray Naked by the 77's that was in my Acura's tape deck for over a year back in the day. Perhaps the best record ever in Christian Rock and certainly the most controversial. The 77's are the finest Christian Rock band of all time. No doubt about it. Here is a link to the denouement Cornerstone performance in 2012 (two founding members, Roe and Harmon). Maybe being the best in Christian Rock ain't saying much, like being the best Bobsled team from Brazil.         

 Vector was part of a brief shining moment in CCM where California bands had both artistic excellence and theological gravity. Many years have passed since then of course. Let's put it this way; in order to read the liner notes of the Temptation CD I had to wear both my glasses AND peer through a magnifying glass. My eyes have grown dim in the service of my country, to steal a line from George Washington to quell a rebellion of old soldiers. 

 ANYWAY.......

 So, I am officially off the rabbit trail onto the main thesis of this here blog. 

 That Christ radically identifies with our suffering, and we, to His. Suffering is the common cup that humanity drinks from. 

 I like when I dream about Christian themes. It gives me confidence and consolation that Christ actually means a lot to me. The general gist of the lyric means to me that Christ takes it upon Himself the infirmity of the world. He is not standing above going "I am glad I got nothing to do with that mess." 

 When Christ took the whipping and the Cross, the best shot from a wicked world, He paid the dues for humanity's sin. Who would blame Him if He said, "No Mo." In the verse cited above in Acts 9, Jesus confronts Saul who is breathing deadly fire towards early Christians. Jesus personalizes the violence by saying "Why are you persecuting ME?" 

 Not THEM. ME. 

 I had the good pleasure of meeting Brennan Manning, the author of Ragamuffin Gospel and other great books. Manning corrected an imbalance in modern Christendom by emphasizing the love of God versus the wrath of God. I first heard Manning speak at Creation back in the 80's and then met him in Lancaster after a talk back in the 90's before he passed.  He was a great and humble man. 

 Jesus will look at our scars, meaning that we took some damage from life, as did He, and kept persevering.  Thanks Gail Cochrane for posting this...whoever you are.    

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