In his post, "Erasing the Line Between the Secular and the Sacred"
(http://benjamindunn.tumblr.com/post/25517102516/erasing-the-line-between-the-secular-the-sacred), Benjamin Dunn says,
Christian Music? What an extremely weird concept. To think that a song, band or genre of music can be dubbed “Christian” is an anomaly to me. Can other things in this world be “Christian” as well? (i.e. My, dogs, my socks, my dirty tour sweater)?
His article procedes to discuss the meaning of "worship music" and the sacred nature of music, which isn't my intention here (although it makes for interesting reading). However, it got me thinking about our attitude to separating and segragating the different aspects of our lives.
How often do we prefix areas of our life with the word "Christian"? "Christian radio", "Christian TV", "Christian film", "Christian book", "Christian song", "Christian art", "Christian conversation", "Christian place", "Christian job", "Christian blog"...
And what do we mean by it? Does shoving the word "Christian" before another noun somehow alter it and sanctify it? Is my "Christian job" more important than your (presumably) "non Christian job"? Is a "Christian film" somehow better for me?
And how do we define it? Do we have to prove it has been written or painted or designed by someone who professes to believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour? And how do we go about proving that? And if I am a Christian musician, am I capable of writing an "ordinary" song? Or are all of my songs "Christian" because I am? And does it really matter?
Isn't labelling things as "Christian" more about confining God and putting restrictions on Him? And isn't that more about us being in control and making us 'God'? If we put God in a box and only expect to experience or hear from Him when we are listening to "Christian radio" or watching a "Christian film" then we probably will.
But if we open up our eyes and our ears and our minds and if we erase the lines and break down the walls, perhaps we will see God in the ordinary as well.
After all, Jesus wasn't born in a Temple, He was born in a stable. He didn't just work for a religious organisation, He trained as a carpenter. He didn't just teach in the synagogues, He taught on the hills and in boats. He didn't just have Jewish friends, He befriended the lonely and broken and poor and outcast and sinful.
Jesus came to earth to show us that God isn't distant and unreachable and only interested in the "Christian" aspects of our lives. He is personal and intimate and bigger than any human fences we erect, and He longs to speak into every area of our lives:
"Dear, dear Corinthians, I can't tell you how much I long for you to enter this wide-open, spacious life. We didn't fence you in. The smallness you feel comes from within you. Your lives aren't small, but you're living them in a small way. I'm speaking as plainly as I can and with great affection. Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively!"
[2 Corinthians 6:11, MSG]
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