"Getting Ready to Get Down” by Josh Ritter
Reflection
It’s Sunday, so it’s time to bring a bit more of the Gospel to these posts. Everyone has a picture of acceptable behaviors that they judge others against; likewise, we are judged by others according to their idea of acceptable behaviors. My picture of a leader is someone who focuses on others and doesn’t draw attention to themselves. So, when I was watching football as kid, I looked down on “Neon” Deion Sanders for his showboating and lauded Barry Sanders for his humbleness. Likewise, people have very strong pictures of what a Christian should look like. From my childhood, the image I had of Christian was a list of rules that included: wear dress clothes to church, attend church every Sunday (twice on Sunday if you were a really good Christian), don’t work or cause others to work on Sunday, don’t drink, don’t smoke, don’t swear, and most importantly be a Republican.
“Getting Ready to Get Down” is a new song for me, but I immediately connected with the picture of Christianity presented and the conflict that occurs when you don’t fit into that nicely sculpted box. The conflict that arises can be both internal and external. Doubt and shame creep in when you are not meeting the expectations of others, especially the expectations of the church. External fights, hopefully not physical fights, occur as people question if you belong at this church or if you “really” believe. That’s a lot of pressure, especially when church is where you go hoping and wanting to find acceptance, forgiveness, and hope. The same happens at your workplace with its culture and norms. And if your workplace is your church, the pressure and conflict get turned up to 11 and fallout can be heartbreaking.
Unfortunately, there’s not a way to get rid of these boxes to which we are expected to conform. Tensions and conflicts will continue to arise, but there is some good news, some Gospel news. These rules and pictures of Christianity are not what matter. Relationship with Jesus is what really matters. Jesus didn’t come to give a picture of Christianity and say, “if you want to follow me you have to fit in this box.” He said we need to love Him and love others. Everything else will fall in place if we focus on loving God and loving others. I can honestly say that I fail each and every one of the rules I listed as my childhood image of a Christian. Thankfully Jesus didn’t hate my school dances (as mentioned in the song), or I would have failed that one too.
Despite all that, I have a stronger relationship with God now than ever before. I have a group of men that I meet with every Friday morning, and they love Jesus and love me for who I am. I disagree with these guys on sports (Go Illini!), politics, and even theology. But the common love of God and our love for each other transcends our differences. Ultimately, any list of rules is going to fail. Just read the Old Testament. But if we focus on loving God and loving others with our words and actions, we can release the baggage of meeting others’ expectations. With that freedom we can have peace and we can get “ready to get down.”
Links
Lyrics
Mama got a look at you and got a little worried
Papa got a look at you and got a little worried
Pastor got a look and said, ya'll had better hurry
Send her off to a little bible college in Missouri
And now you come back sayin' you know a little bit about
Every little thing they ever hoped you'd never figure out
Eve ate the apple 'cause the apple was sweet
What kinda God would ever keep a girl from getting what she needs
And I'm getting ready to get down
Getting ready to get down
Getting ready to get down
Now people cross the street when you walk in their direction
Talk between their teeth throwin' epithets
And the doctor thinks a devil musta got you by your senses
But to live the way you please doesn't sound like possession
It's four long years studyin' the Bible
Infidels, Jezebels, Salomes, and Delilahs
Back off the bus in your own home town
Say you didn't like me then probably won't like me now
But I'm getting ready to get down
Getting ready to get down
Getting ready to get down
All the men of the country club, the ladies of the 'xilliary
Talkin' 'bout love like it's apple pie and libery
To really be a saint, you gotta really be a virgin
Dry as a page of the King James Version
No "ohh la la"s, no "oh, yes"s
No "I can't wait"s "I gotta see you again"ses
Just turn the other cheek, take no chances
Jesus hates your high school dances
Said your soul needed saving, so they sent you off to Bible school
You learned a little more than they had heard was in the Golden Rule
"Be good to everybody, be a strength to the weak
Be a joy to the joyful, be the laughter in the grief"
And give your love freely to whoever that you please
Don't let nobody tell you 'bout who you oughta be
And when you get damned in the popular opinion
It's just another damn of the damns you're not giving
I'm getting ready to get down
Getting ready to get down
Getting ready to get down
Mama got a look at you and got a little worried
Papa got a look at you and got a little worried
Pastor got a look and said, ya'll had better hurry
Send her off to a little bible college in Missouri
And now you come back sayin' you know a little bit about
Every little thing they ever hoped you'd never figure out
The Red Sea, the Dead Sea, the Sermon on the Mount
If you wanna see a miracle watch me get down
And I'm getting ready to get down
Getting ready to get down
Getting ready to get down
I'm getting ready to get down
Getting ready to get down
Getting ready to get down
For Further Reflection
Are there parts of your life that you need to let go of to enjoy the freedom available in Christ?
Are there cultural or Christian norms standing in the way of you fully loving God and others?
Read Galations 5:1-6. How will you rejoice today in recognition of your freedom from the Law?
Additional music:
“Ain’t No Man” by The Avett Brothers
“Only the Wild Ones” by Dispatch
“Changes” by Langhorne Slim & The Law