Audience of One

I see a lot of self-proclaimed “Christian” musicians on social media blathering about "I'm playing for Jesus! An audience of one!  Come join me and we'll jam for Jesus!"

But here's the thing:

I am sorry, but Jesus can't hear your music because he's been deported. He can't hear you because he's imprisoned in an ICE detainment center. Jesus can't hear your music over the sound of his stomach because he hasn't eaten in a couple of days. He can't hear you over the sound of the ventilators and monitors. He can't hear you because he's too busy wondering where he's going to sleep tonight.

Sorry, Jesus can't hear your worship over the sound of the bombs dropping and the moms screaming. He can't hear you over the sound of the bullets in school killing his friends. He can't hear you through the tear gas and rubber bullets.

When your faith is only for your convenience, when your faith only advocates for your rights, then your faith isn't the faith of Jesus. It's just the self-satisfying, street-corner shouting, faith of the Pharisees.

"...Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others..." -- Matthew 23:5-7

 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’" -- Matthew 25:44-45