There’s a saying I used to hear as a child — that it’s impossible to please the crowd because even Moses couldn’t control a crowd. Even Pilate couldn’t control a crowd.
This article is not about crowd control, or Moses, or Pilate, or pleasing people. It’s about the importance of having songs that are rich in the word of God.
You see for many of us then, and this is still true for many Kenyans, literate or otherwise, we don’t read the Bible much. In fact many of us are Bible illiterate. Apart from a few verses that we quote out of context here and there, and a few favorite stories — like the prodigal son, Ruth and Naomi, and David and Goliath — we have little clue of what goes on in those 66 books.
And that’s where songs played a part. A song writer wrote about Pilate wishing to please a crowd and in that process, crucified the giver of life and released a murderer instead. Not many will read that verse in the gospels. But all who hear the song will know what happened.
Many who quoted the saying on Moses might not tell you the story of the Exodus, but from this song they know that leadership is hard and people will often turn away from where you are leading. Stay focused anyway.
Personally, a lot of my CRE (Christian Religious Education) was remembered from songs that told of Bible stories and events. I came to know of the story of Esther because of a famous song about Mordecai and how God raises those who are humble and how he makes them sit with kings.
Songs, well-written songs, like hymns and psalms, should be for all ages and times, teaching generations over the years to know God’s word and deeds and leading them into worship.
Songs are memorable and you can punch so much truth in a few lines. I am in the category that quickly forgets a sermon. But I will be recalling a song word for word 20 years down the line.
So song writer, consider the noble role you have in massaging God’s word into people’s hearts. Steep your song in scripture and wash it in prayer. Sit with scripture until you have truths that God has spoken to you. Your song is a powerful sermon, reverberating to corners of homes and bars and matatus that you will never reach, meeting people in all sorts of places and in all possible moments. Your song won’t change people. But the word of God in your song will. The word of God in your song will carry biblical truths from one generation to the next. Don’t waste your song.