Change the Song

We recognize that we have been re-created in the image of Christ and are called to walk with Him
daily and to reflect His nature. Colossians 3 states:
23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,
24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ...

We are called in 1st Peter 2, according the King James Version, a "peculiar" people - we are called to be distinct.  We are not supposed to think according to the world, and we are certainly called to possess a worldview that is different than those who don't know Christ.  Our convictions may drive us to unpopular decisions, but we can possess the satisfaction that we have obeyed Christ.  We are called, above all, to glorify Him.

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In 1st Corinthians 10, the apostle Paul addresses how personal conviction can drive our personal
decisions, all producing fruit for God's glory. Here is a passage from that chapter:
31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
32 Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God,
33 just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.

For a host of reasons, I do not generally follow Dancing with the Stars that closely.  But, there was a development recently that caught my attention.

It involves a Christian Olympic softball player named Jennie Finch.  A Faithwire story stated: "that the song that was selected for her and her dance partner, “'Make Me Feel,' is sexually suggestive and was deemed to be a 'little too risque' for the athlete."  The article says:

According to the Kansas City Star, Finch was struggling with the song all through rehearsals until she finally made a phone call to producers saying she was not prepared to dance to such a sexually charged track.

“It’s not what I’m about. I need to follow who I am and stand up for what I believe in,” Finch explained on the hit show.

Finch, was actually voted off the show this past Monday.  The story states:

The All-American softball pitcher hopes that this courageous stand for her faith will inspire others, but mostly, her aim is to bring glory and honor to God in heaven. “I want to glorify God out there, and that just wasn’t a great choice for me to do that,” she explained.

After the performance of the substitute song, judge Carrie Ann Inaba said, “I applaud you for choosing what felt right to you, and I think that’s setting a great example..."

Meanwhile, the Olympian who reportedly showed disrespect to the Vice-President prior to the South Korea Olympics, the gay figure skater who wanted to be "America's Sweetheart," before he flopped in the Olympics, winning one solo bronze medal and a team bronze, Adam Rippon, is a favorite to win the competition.  Rippon recently said, according to Fox News, that he would be in favor of a "same-sex" dancing season on the show.  Yet another step in trying to force the gay agenda on America, if that were to occur.

Back to Jennie Finch, who is married to former pro baseball player Casey Daigle and has three children, according to Sports Spectrum.   By the way, she is a teammate of former Jimmy Hitchcock speaker Leah O'Brien-Amico on the 2004 Olympic gold medal softball team.  Her decision on principle actually set off a chain reaction - the Faithwire story notes that she and her partner had to change the choreography, which had been completed, in order to accommodate the change.

This actually communicates the message that sometimes you will have to do what needs to be done, regardless of the consequences or the fallout.  And, we shouldn't be hesitant to change course because it involves some work.  We have to make sure we are determined to do the right thing, even though there is a cost involved.

That's kind of how complacency works.  We become satisfied with a decision or direction, and when we know we need to make a course correction, we don't do it because it involves some work, maybe some inconvenience, perhaps even some misunderstanding on the part of colleagues.  We have to depend on God's strength and a sense of bravery that comes from Him in order to stand for Him.

And, finally, Jennie Finch made a decision based on the objectionable nature of song lyrics.  This can challenge us to make sure that what we are placing in our minds through music and entertainment are not inconsistent with our Christian witness and growth.  The words we listen to or actions we observe can have an impact on our spirit and can be tools of the enemy to diminish the abundant life Christ has come to give us.