Music Mondays

I'm a cynic. I'm also fully aware that being overly critical can be a good thing but is often a negative character trait.

For instance, when I watch the following video, I see a number of things that feel cliche and Christian-y. 

But man, if this song doesn't override my cynicism and suck me in. That's a fun song lyrically, vocally, and musically. It's a song about joy that is infectiously joyous. 

I had a youth pastor who once questioned why all the pictures and albums of Christian bands and artists seemed so serious and stoic. He'd complain, "Why can they be smiling? We Christians are supposed to be happy and joyful!" 

Now, I believe the best Christian artists will wrestle with the entire spectrum of human experience and shouldn't have to fake optimism. Plus, art directors for albums and photographers have their own creative approaches that govern those kinds of images.

But a song like this does honestly bring us back to the joy that our salvation brings us. We have reasons to celebrate - really more than anyone else in the world. As airbrushed as some of those video scenes are, there's no denying that the joy of Christ ought to infect us wherever we are and whatever we're doing.