Idolatry Today: Music (Part 3 of 4)

I can wake up to my favorite radio station. I don’t, though, because it takes more than Brad Paisley singing another sappy love song to wake this monster. When I make it out the door and turn my car the radio immediately starts playing. When I work at “O’Charleys” there is constantly a song playing to entertain people while they eat. When I study, I listen to music. When I work out, I listen to music. If my dang speakers were working, I’d be listening to music right now. Music is everywhere.

Recently, iTunes topped five billion songs downloaded. They also continue to pick up momentum as they are averaging upward close to 13 million songs bought per day. Obviously, iTunes has stolen the market for music (and I can remember seeing a commercial with a  dancing shadow thinking, “that will never catch on”), but there are still markets for Wal Mart and Amazon to still sell million of dollars worth of music every year. Oh yea, and don’t forget the fact many people download music for free still.

Why do people listen and love music so much? Music is, first of all, a way to relate. Have you ever wondered why people listen to depressing music (read: country music); because it relates. I don’t know why, but it feels good to listen to a song that expresses the mood you are in.

Also, people look to music for the expression of self. Music is creative as well as detailed. Music uses activity from both part of the brains. So, you get the sense of fulfilling your emotions as well as fulfilling a task. That’s incredible to think about.

So, if music is good, when does it become Idolatry? Simple, music becomes an idol when it replaces Christ. Music is fine to relate to, but for ultimate fulfillment we need to look to Jesus to relate to us because he is the only one who relates with power. Hebrews 4:15-16, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sypthaize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace…” When Jesus relates to you, he does so with the ability to bring you grace and actual help instead of using a musical band aid.

On the other hand, when we replace reflecting Christ as our highest purpose with expression of self as ultimate importance we have reversed the divine order. Colossians 1:15-18 describes Christ as the firstborn, creator, before all things, head of the body, the beginning, and preeminent. If Christ is not first, then we are in the wrong place.

Music is so present in our culture that it is easy to turn to it for satisfaction. We can either use it as a coping mechanism and a tool of self promotion. To be sure, listening to music is not inherently evil, but we without doubt can easily replace Christ with our music.