Vol. 18 No. 15 | April 11, 2016
When the news reported that Merle Haggard had died, not only was it a big story for the Nashville community, but for country music fans everywhere. Merle was truly a legend in country music.
His death prompted me to spent parts of the next couple of days listening to Merle’s music. I listened in my car, in my office, and some while walking the Greenway. I was reminded of years long ago when as a college student a friend and I would sit around with your guitars in “pickin’ and a grinnin’” sessions which often included some of Merle’s tunes. Our playlist often included: “Mama Tried,” “White Line Fever,” “Holding Things Together,” “If We Make To December,” and “Sing Me Back Home.” As I listened to Merle’s simple and easy tunes I relived some of times that also seemed, in retrospect, pretty simple and easy.
The more I listened the more I began to see a connection between Jesus and Merle Haggard that I had never noticed.
The members of the church where I preach are reading through the New Testament together this year. Five chapters a week (Monday-Friday). Each Sunday we are using one of those texts for sermons, classes and small group discussions. The reading for today is John 3. Reading ahead in preparation for this article I saw a connection between this well-known passage and the music of Merle Haggard.
John 3:16-17 (NIV) For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Merle sang songs about life. Many of his songs described a side of life that many followers of Jesus not only try to avoid, but spend considerable time condemning. For instance: “Working Man Blues,” “The Fighting Side of Me,” “I’m a Lonesome Fugitive,” “Branded Man,” “Ramblin Fever,” and “I Threw Away the Rose.” No doubt one of the reasons for Haggard’s impact on the music world is that so many could relate to what he was singing.
Maybe you have felt, “If we make to December (or to the end of the month, or next year, or through the holidays, or until we get paid) we’ll be fine.” Surely there have been days when you felt like you’re just “Holding Things Together.”
We, Jesus’ people, sometimes like to put those kinds of stories in the category of what “those” people go through. “Good Godly people don’t live like that.” “Church goers don’t have such hard times.” “If they’d only get their life right and change their priorities they wouldn’t have so much trouble and heartache.”
Jesus’ words reminds me that I’m missing the point when that is my attitude toward people. Jesus said, “For God so loved the WORLD that he gave his one and only Son,…” Not only the good people. Not only the people who have life all together. Not only the good Christian people. God so loved the WORLD. People who don’t have it all together, those never seem to be able to get it all together, and those who at one time had it all together but failed miserably at keeping it together.
Jesus’ words further convict my too often quick-to-judge attitude when He said, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” Where did we get the idea that it is our job to condemn? Where did we get the impression that God could not handle His creation and needs us to step in and set things straight.
Merle Haggard sang from the heart about life. Sometimes life is hard, and then it gets worse. Sometimes we mess up; sometimes we get things right. Sometimes we feel like we are down and out, but we keep trying.
Jesus lived, died, and rose again to teach us to love the world like He loved the world. What if we loved the people Merle sang about like Jesus did? Maybe it is time we started.
Tom
A Norvell Note © Copyright 2016. Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved.