We don’t play a lot of dance music at our house. It’s just not what we usually listen to. But it’s what Cade absolutely loves to listen to. As a seven-year-old, his options are limited, so he does a lot of second hand listening. You know–he tunes in to the songs that kids sing on the bus and on the playground and the sports fields.

He started singing the song ‘Dynamite’ quite a bit around the house, but having never heard the original version of the song, his only intelligible lyric was the repeated word, ‘Dynamite’. (You can listen to the Chipmunk version here, to get the tune…)

Ken, who is constantly making up silly songs, improved on Cade’s muddled version with these lyrics:

So, during the last week of school, I went on a field trip with Cade’s first grade class. And as I walked with a group of six or seven boys, they all began singing, “Get me a bagel… from San Diego…”

Ah, yes. What a positive impact our family’s little nucleus is having on greater societal good.

I’ve heard Christians that sound just as ridiculous as Cade and his friends. It’s obvious that their faith is nothing more than second hand lyrics. Their beliefs aren’t any more intelligible to them than to the others trying to sing along.

Christians need to get their lyrics first hand.  Not from the pastor. Not on Christian radio. Not from friends or family. The Bible is our song book, with lyrics so rich and satisfying that second hand singing will not do.