J is for Jesus and the Jonas Brothers

Being the mother of three daughters did not adequately prepare me for the Jonas Brothers stage.  By the time my youngest was 13 she had been to 7 concerts, seen the movie - twice, and had wall papered her bedroom with posters of the boys.  There were pictures, t-shirts and fan pages made - Even I went to a concert with her (I thought I was a pretty 'cool' mom for going, until I saw the thousands of other moms there too).  And, I admit, they really did put on a good show.  They were entertaining and played well to the audience.  Although it was definitely a rehearsed stage show - they played as if it was just for us.  I haven't heard much of them as of late.  My daughters are older now, the posters have long come off the walls and their taste in music and activities have, thankfully, changed.

I remember when I was in college, I had some amazing seats to a Neil Diamond concert.  In-between boyfriends, I decided to take my mom.  I remember watching her nervously, uncertain how she would react to his concert.  And, like the Jonas Brothers, he too put on a spectacular concert and we were not disappointed.  But, as wonderful as both of those concerts were - and as talented as all of these artists are, there was one occurrence at both concerts that caused me to pause and wonder.

It was when the applause became worship. 

Neil Diamond was singing Sweet Caroline, and he really had the audience going with an extended chorus.  We were all singing and clapping along and the music dropped off and it was just our voices singing...and then the singing turned into applause and the applause did not stop.  I stopped.  My mom stopped.  It was eerie to me.  I do not mean to imply that the people around us were intentionally worshipping him - but the cheers, the applause the raised arms - it seemed so out of place to me.  And I wondered while it was all going on - Isn't this what I am supposed to give to Jesus?  Do I praise him with the same abandonment as these people were giving to Neil?  I wanted to shout out, "No - he is a man.  He sings beautiful love songs.  He didn't die on a cross - don't give this to him!"

It happened again at the Jonas Bothers' concert too.  In one of their songs, the three boys stood on pedestals that were raised high up to the sky - at least 40 feet.  The boys simply stood there, and the crowd went wild.  For what seemed like a small eternity, they stood, high in the sky, and all of the girls applauded, and screamed, and raised their arms and shouted their undying love for these boys. One of the moms that was with me just laughed.  "Isn't it cute?" she said.  I smiled - but I didn't think it was cute at all.  This intense praise and worship is for the King of Kings - what in the world was I teaching my daughter?  That mere talent deserves complete adoration?  That a temporary crush should exude more passion than we give to Jesus?

Now, before you all think I'm a little out there, I am not anti-concert or anti-entertainment.  I was just struck at both of these concerts with how much reckless abandon people were giving to mere men and wondering if we, if I do the that for Jesus.  When I sing praise to Jesus, am I surrendering all that I am?  Am I giving of myself with wild reckless abandon?  Am I pouring out applause with my hands raised high?  Am I praising my Jesus, the one who gave his life for me, who bled for me, any less than what is given at a rock concert? 

And let's be honest, worship is not limited to singing on Sundays.  Our very life is to be an ongoing testimony and an ongoing worship of Jesus.  Whatever I do it is to His praise.

So my hope for today as I reflect on "J" is that I would learn to worship my Jesus with the same reckless abandon as a teen aged girl at a Jonas Brothers concert!