People Like Us

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Most of the time when I’m in the car I’m either listening to my theme CD or KSBJ, but the other day I had the radio on a regular station and “People Like Us” by Kelly Clarkson came on.  Even though I know it is a completely secular song, it struck me how closely the words reflected the battle that the Christian walk is.

Just as C.S. Lewis pointed out in his essay “Myth Became Fact” (God in the Dock) that we have a certain yearnings built into our DNA that were expressed in myth and fulfilled in Christ, many songs . . . the good ones anyway . . . are a cry out for the gifts God has promised us:  love, peace, and joy.

The songs are a desire of the heart.  But rather than directing them towards and expecting them to be fulfilled by other people, which will only lead to disappointment and discouragement, direct them to God and then listen to them again.

 

For example, I highly doubt Gym Class Heroes had God in mind when they wrote “Stereo Hearts,” but our hearts literally are a stereo for God.  The DNA in each one of us creates a melody ¹Roach, John.  “Your DNA Is a Song: Scientists Use Music to Code Proteins.”  National Geographic News.  21 October 2005.  Accessed 19 July 2013.    and we are a unique song to Him.  And I’m pretty sure Emelie Sande wrote “Next to Me” with an individual in mind, but Jesus is the only one who can stay on the pedestal of her expectations without falling off.

Many times when we think of walking out the Christian faith, we think that if we mess up, we won’t be good enough.   We think other people are more righteous, have more faith, or are just “different” than us.   Other era’s were “easier” and those we consider “saints” were more “suitable.”

But that’s just not true, the heroes of the faith were people just like us.  They messed up. They got discouraged.  They felt like the odd man out and had to deal with difficult people.

Moses was so worn down by Israelites griping in the wilderness he told God, “Just kill me now if I have to keep listen to these people complaining.” ²“Numbers 11:10-15 (New Living Translation.) Biblegateway.

Nehemiah not only faced an overwhelming task, but he had to deal with infighting among the Israelites as well as attacks from the neighboring Samaritans while trying to accomplish it. ³“Nehemiah 1-6 (New Living Translation.)  Biblegateway

The primary reason Paul became the voice of the Christian faith was because he had to write so many letters to the churches about their internal conflicts and heresy.   He had to deal with a lot of backbiting, betrayal, and Christian religious leaders trash talking him. ⁴“1 Corinthians 4:18-21. (New Living Translation) Biblegateway.

There has never been smooth sailing.

The only account in the Bible I can think of where there wasn’t conflict and drama in accomplishing a task is that of Jonah.   Yes, he had trials, but he brought them on himself through his disobedience.  The people of Ninevah  actually received his message and repented . . . which he promptly complained to God about. ⁵“Jonah 3-4. (King James Version)” Biblegateway.

If God is working in a situation, most of the time it is going to be messy.  There are going to be challenges.  Not because his way and plan aren’t perfect, but because we aren’t.  And also because we are in a battle, spiritual forces in high places ⁶“Ephesians 6:12. (King James Version)”  Biblegateway. are doing whatever they can to divert and destroy what God intends.

So I like this song because it illustrates that.

Like Elijah, ⁷“1 Kings 14:3. (New Living Translation)” Biblegateway. there are going to be times when we are discouraged, but we have to be steadfast and singleminded and be strong and of good courage. ⁸“Joshua 1:7-9. (King James Version)  Biblegateway.

So if you feel a little odd, peculiar, ⁹“1 Peter 2:9 (King James Version)” Biblegateway. if you feel like a misfit and that you don’t fit in, that’s okay.  Because God says we are aliens, ¹⁰“1 Peter 2:11 (Revised Standard Version)”  Biblegateway.  sojourners, ¹¹“1 Chronicles 29:13-15 (New Living Translation)” Biblegateway.  just passing through.

And we aren’t suppose to go it alone.  We are supposed to stick together, building each other up. ¹²“1 Thessalonians 5:9-11 (New Living Translation.) Biblegateway.

The other thing that I like about the video is that as they are making a choice and taking a stand together, that their life lights up and the darkness erodes.  The color, the fullness of life, expands exponentially.

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” ~ John 8:12 NLT

People Like Us Lyrics

We come into this world unknown
But know that we are not alone
They try and knock us down
But change is coming, it’s our time now

Hey, everybody loses it,
Everybody wants to throw it all away sometimes
And hey . . . yeah I know what you’re going through
Don’t let it get the best of you, you’ll make it out alive
Ohh

People like us we’ve gotta stick together
Keep your head up, nothing lasts forever
Here’s to the damned, to the lost and forgotten
It’s hard to get high when you’re living on the bottom

Oh woah oh oh woah oh
We are all misfits living in a world on fire
Oh woah oh oh woah oh
Sing it for the people like us, the people like us

Hey, this is not a funeral
It’s a revolution, after all your tears have turned to rage
Just wait, everything will be okay
Even when you’re feeling like it’s going down in flames
Ohh

[itunes id=”572109021″]

People like us we’ve gotta stick together
Keep your head up nothing lasts forever
Here’s to the damned, to the lost and forgotten
It’s hard to get high when you’re living on the bottom

Oh woah oh oh woah oh
We are all misfits living in a world on fire
Oh woah oh oh woah oh
Sing it for the people like us, the people like us

Oh woah oh oh woah oh
You’ve just gotta turn it up loud when the flames get higher
Oh woah oh oh woah oh
Sing it for the people like us, the people like us

They can’t do nothing to you, they can’t do nothing to me
This is the life that we choose, this is the life that we bleed
So throw your fists in the air, come out, come out if you dare
Tonight we’re gonna change forever

Everybody loses it, everybody wants to throw it all away sometimes
Ohh

People like us we’ve gotta stick together
Keep your head up nothing lasts forever
Here’s to the damned, to the lost and forgotten
It’s hard to get high when you’re living on the bottom

Oh woah oh oh woah oh
We are all misfits living in a world on fire
Oh woah oh oh woah oh
Sing it for the people like us, the people like us

Oh woah oh oh woah oh
You’ve just got to turn it up loud when the flames get higher
Oh woah oh oh woah oh
Sing it for the people like us, the people like us

Oh woah oh oh woah oh
We’re all misfits living in a world on fire
Oh woah oh oh woah oh
Sing it for the people like us, the people like us

Oh woah oh oh woah oh
You’ve just got to turn it up loud when the flames get higher
Oh woah oh oh woah oh
Sing it for the people like us, the people like us