OK, admittedly I totally do not get the whole Hip Hop thing. Try as I may to remain culturally relevant, I just cannot keep up with the lyrics, understand any more than every 6th word and figure out why anyone’s name would be made from some combination of Snoops, Ice, Dogs and M&Ms. But here’s the bottom line thing for me: I do not get the moves. I totally agree with my African and Hispanic brothers & sisters that white men cannot dance…or jump.
Last Sunday I went to Living Stones www.livingstonescov.org where a guest artist/leader named Agape (this name I get) led us through a morning of Hip Hop worship and praise. Actually, it was nothing of the sort: it actually resembled first day at basic training for Special Ops, Jazzercise on steroids or a conspiracy by the younger generation to lower the number of us Baby Boomers, thereby reducing the levels of visually boring clothing to which they are subjected.
Agape began with a seemingly harmless tune, before which he illustrated three “simple” moves so that we could join in with him. Within 20 seconds he broke into a series of moves that, instead of the intended worship-filled experience, resulted in what I think will be hip splinters (from bumping into the seatbacks in front of me) and a more aggravated Achilles Heel (I think I might need amputation) from the gyrations of trying to keep up. All this says nothing about the unADULTerated humiliation I felt amongst this ethnically rich group of mostly younger-somethings from attempting to prove I had a semblance of rhythm. AND, the house lights were turned up: ouch!
And then Agape did something even more amazing. He asked everyone to raise their hands if they had ever been called “stupid.” Hands (and mine) went up. If they had ever been called fat? Hands (and mine) went up. If they had ever been called ugly? Hands (and mine) went up. He shared his own stories and reminded us that the only opinion that really mattered was the One that created you and knows every hair on your head. And then he invited everyone to come up to the front where someone was there to embrace you, look into your eyes and tell you, “You are beautiful; God really loves you.”
I was moved.
So, let me ask you a question: Do you think that if we stopped worrying so much about how we look to others during those times we feel out of step, out of rhythm, out of place, out of sorts or out of our minds…that we might just break into unharnessed and uninhibited dancing in celebration of you and me? Crazy thought? It’s biblical, you know. Check out this historical rapper:
2 Samuel 14:22
“14 David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the LORD with all his might, 15 while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouts and the sound of trumpets.
16 As the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, she despised him in her heart….
20 When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, "How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, disrobing in the sight of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!"21 David said to Michal, "It was before the LORD, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the LORD's people Israel—I will celebrate before the LORD. 22 I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor."
So what? As leaders and branders and livers:
· Being in step with the way things are done is the surest way to learn the current dance that everyone is doing. Make up your own dance and moves, like these other movers: Steve Jobs, Ghandi, Lee Iaccoca, Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa, Fred Smith.
· Being Hip works well as hype for selling clothing, shoes and new cars. However, driving real change and moving your story into the cultural groove will likely have people pointing fingers, laughing and thinking you have lost your mind; maybe like Moses, Jesus, Ben Franklin, Thomas Edison, Mary Anderson (windshield wipers), Steve Case (AOL), Hedy Lamarr (Spread Spectrum Technology aka Wireless Communication!), The Beatles, Larry Page and Sergey Brin (Google).
HOPping to it does not mean spinning around on your head on the floor (DO NOT try this unsupervised or while intoxicated); but it can and should mean leaving peoples’ minds spinning by the sheer force of your vision, passion and relentless pursuit for living out your dream, gifting or calling; maybe like Michael Jordan, Princess Di, Elvis Presley, Rosa Parks, Mary Magdalene, Picasso, Helen Keller, Albert Einstein, Desmond Tutu, Anne Frank.
S Spin it.
For emphasis – (b)
Posts
b,
ReplyDeleteInsightful. I'll add a few insights.
Agape has actually "translated" the whole Lutheran liturgy into hip hop. Notice the raps were labeled, Invocation, Confession, etc. This is one of the most essentially Christian activities possible and it is how the message of God's love has always spread throughout history. (I'll be happy to back that statement up if challenged).
Second, I like your question about ending our worry for how we look to others. It made me think perhaps how I view the way others look when they're dancing might influence my opinion of myself. I feel like I have to hold myself to the same judgmental standards to which I hold others. And that can keep me from dancing.
Thanks