I grew up in a culture and an environment where feelings were kept to yourself. If you had a problem...work it out by yourself. The idea of sharing how you feel or being honest about pain and hurt was problematic in my family. I began my journey in this life under the impression that we just don't connect with people on that kind of level...so I didn't. Now I don't fault my parents...it is what they learned about life from their parents. It was and is I believe a hold over from the Western European societies that propagated the "keep a stiff upper lip" mentality. No sign of any emotion what so ever...very proper.
And then you have this culture who is all about expression. Whether it originated from the tribal dances or it was inherently a part of their make up I don't know. But when African people began to be "integrated" into this predominantly white stoic culture, it was like oil and water. They sang of their troubles and their pain. They danced when they were joyful and celebrated enthusiastically every great and simple thing. They were expressive and outgoing and though they were outwardly confined, inwardly they were soaring free.
Blues music came as a result of years and years of oppression and being treated as if they were not as good or an equal to the stiff upper lip crowd. When your woman ran off with another man, you sang sad songs that made you feel the depth of that pain and sorrow and betrayal. When they were in love, they sang in code about how they really felt about that woman (or man in a few cases). But all of it was raw and real and heart felt...there was no "so put on a happy face' kind of songs...no way.
It is interesting to me how our culture, though founded on Judean Christian values, so rejected the Blues and the derivative that came out of it Rock and Roll, as being so evil. I mean come on, put a n old Martin guitar, a Honer harp, and a broken bottle neck in King David's hands and you have the way early version of the Blues. Jeremiah...the "weeping prophet"...that is so low down it makes a blues man look chipper. And isn't it amazing that Jesus hanging on the cross didn't cry out "cheerio..all right then...keep a stiff upper lip then...oh oh...no tears allowed." Instead Jesus wailed and cried and sang out an all time classic Blues line..."my God, my God, why have you forsaken me." Then he finished it out with a "it is finished."
From the very beginning to the very end of the Bible, we see a culture that was sad and down hearted when they needed to be. They rejoiced and celebrated when it was appropriate. They partied so hard at a wedding that Jesus had to make an additional 50 gallons of wine to keep it going. This was his first recorded miracle. Who wouldn't want to invite Jesus to their party. At the end of time when we are all gathered around the throne and laying in a heap in front of our God, I doubt the first words out of His mouth will be..."all right now folks...lets just calm down...you Pentecostals better settle down like the Presbyterians...and you Black churches...you are so out of order." No, every nation, every people group, and every culture will be represented, and it will be a PAR-TEE!!!!!
If Jesus felt the sting of hurt and pain...I'm sure it's alright for us as well. People...lighten up and get real...when your sad...listen to the Blues...you'll feel a lot better when you face your humanity and allow the God who created us as emotional beings to restore us and prepare us for the party.
1 comment:
Great Post Bill! I love this. Have a great weekend!!
Linda
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