Booty, God, Booty
This post is stolen from the book I'm reading (and blog that is great too!) Stuff Christians Like. I'll start with the part that isn't mine and then add some color commentary at the bottom, because this SO is what we've been talking about, just a lot funnier...
Here's Jonathan Acuff:
In Atlanta, my favorite radio station is V103, the “People’s Station.”
It’s a hip hop station that plays mostly rap and R&B. The best part of V103 is their morning show. Everyday when I’m driving to work they do what they call an “Inspirational Vitamin.” They read a Bible verse and play a gospel song or a clip by a charismatic minister from Atlanta. I honestly find it to be an uplifting experience overall. The thing I find most interesting however is how they wedge the Inspirational Vitamin into their normal programming. What often happens is that right before they transition to the spiritual segment of the show they play some sort of booty song. Let’s say, “I’m in love wit a stripper.” Then they do the Bible verse and then they go back to booty music when it’s over. The essentially bookend the Inspirational Vitamin with booty, following a fairly simple formula – Booty, God, Booty.
It’s easy to laugh at how insincere that Inspirational Vitamin seems when it’s sandwiched between hardcore rap songs, but to do so misses the bigger point – we Christians often live our lives the same way. Maybe God is listening to the broadcast of my day and this is what he hears:
1. Quiet time in the morning. Read the Bible, prayer, give thanks.
2. Go into work and act completely different and disconnected from God.Come home.
3. Spend time with wife. Read the Bible, pray.
Chances are, that to many outside listeners, the format of my life is just as out of synch as the people station’s “booty, God, booty.” It might not be as graphic or as neon, but the juxtaposition between who I am when I’m in “God mode” and who I am when I’m in work mode is pretty substantial.
I know you’ve probably heard this a million times before from other Christian writers, but next time you transition between two parts of your day, think to yourself, “Did I just go booty, God, booty?”
If nothing else, it’s a fun phrase to say.
Wow, huh? This is the 5 part purity discussion and accountability put into one, totally hilarious, absolutely truthful, potentially life-changing story. I mean, how often do we slam God between booty and act like it's all good?
In honesty, far too often. I'm your youth pastor (or some wacko you read on the web) and I have some serious life issues. I sin, I can tend towards hypocrisy, I am often more Pharisee than Jesus, I am often judgmental and spiteful, and the list could go on. Those are just a few of the things I deal with, but God still lets me be useful even when I slam Him between my failures and hangups. I mean, I can be awesome on a Sunday morning then go out (or sometimes not even make it out!) of the church and wind up yelling at my kids. I can tell you guys something insightful and awesome and be totally passionate and inspirational, then leave Wednesday/Sunday night and blow it in my own life because someone cuts me off in traffic. That's not the way it should be! So, as we go from this story, I want you to carefront each other whenever you see it by asking, "Did you just Booty, God, booty?" Ask me, ask your friends, but make sure you mean it! We are to "shine like stars" piercing the night around us with Jesus' light.
Here's the verses from the Message (Philippians 2.14-18):
"Do everything readily and cheerfully—no bickering, no second-guessing allowed! Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God. Carry the light-giving Message into the night so I'll have good cause to be proud of you on the day that Christ returns. You'll be living proof that I didn't go to all this work for nothing. Even if I am executed here and now, I'll rejoice in being an element in the offering of your faith that you make on Christ's altar, a part of your rejoicing. But turnabout's fair play—you must join me in my rejoicing. Whatever you do, don't feel sorry for me."
And then the New Living Translation:
"Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless. But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy. Yes, you should rejoice, and I will share your joy."
Don't booty, God, booty. Instead, be the light your friends and family need to see. And never be afraid to ask someone else who follows if they're booty, God, booty-ing either...
Here's Jonathan Acuff:
In Atlanta, my favorite radio station is V103, the “People’s Station.”
It’s a hip hop station that plays mostly rap and R&B. The best part of V103 is their morning show. Everyday when I’m driving to work they do what they call an “Inspirational Vitamin.” They read a Bible verse and play a gospel song or a clip by a charismatic minister from Atlanta. I honestly find it to be an uplifting experience overall. The thing I find most interesting however is how they wedge the Inspirational Vitamin into their normal programming. What often happens is that right before they transition to the spiritual segment of the show they play some sort of booty song. Let’s say, “I’m in love wit a stripper.” Then they do the Bible verse and then they go back to booty music when it’s over. The essentially bookend the Inspirational Vitamin with booty, following a fairly simple formula – Booty, God, Booty.
It’s easy to laugh at how insincere that Inspirational Vitamin seems when it’s sandwiched between hardcore rap songs, but to do so misses the bigger point – we Christians often live our lives the same way. Maybe God is listening to the broadcast of my day and this is what he hears:
1. Quiet time in the morning. Read the Bible, prayer, give thanks.
2. Go into work and act completely different and disconnected from God.Come home.
3. Spend time with wife. Read the Bible, pray.
Chances are, that to many outside listeners, the format of my life is just as out of synch as the people station’s “booty, God, booty.” It might not be as graphic or as neon, but the juxtaposition between who I am when I’m in “God mode” and who I am when I’m in work mode is pretty substantial.
I know you’ve probably heard this a million times before from other Christian writers, but next time you transition between two parts of your day, think to yourself, “Did I just go booty, God, booty?”
If nothing else, it’s a fun phrase to say.
Wow, huh? This is the 5 part purity discussion and accountability put into one, totally hilarious, absolutely truthful, potentially life-changing story. I mean, how often do we slam God between booty and act like it's all good?
In honesty, far too often. I'm your youth pastor (or some wacko you read on the web) and I have some serious life issues. I sin, I can tend towards hypocrisy, I am often more Pharisee than Jesus, I am often judgmental and spiteful, and the list could go on. Those are just a few of the things I deal with, but God still lets me be useful even when I slam Him between my failures and hangups. I mean, I can be awesome on a Sunday morning then go out (or sometimes not even make it out!) of the church and wind up yelling at my kids. I can tell you guys something insightful and awesome and be totally passionate and inspirational, then leave Wednesday/Sunday night and blow it in my own life because someone cuts me off in traffic. That's not the way it should be! So, as we go from this story, I want you to carefront each other whenever you see it by asking, "Did you just Booty, God, booty?" Ask me, ask your friends, but make sure you mean it! We are to "shine like stars" piercing the night around us with Jesus' light.
Here's the verses from the Message (Philippians 2.14-18):
"Do everything readily and cheerfully—no bickering, no second-guessing allowed! Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God. Carry the light-giving Message into the night so I'll have good cause to be proud of you on the day that Christ returns. You'll be living proof that I didn't go to all this work for nothing. Even if I am executed here and now, I'll rejoice in being an element in the offering of your faith that you make on Christ's altar, a part of your rejoicing. But turnabout's fair play—you must join me in my rejoicing. Whatever you do, don't feel sorry for me."
And then the New Living Translation:
"Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless. But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy. Yes, you should rejoice, and I will share your joy."
Don't booty, God, booty. Instead, be the light your friends and family need to see. And never be afraid to ask someone else who follows if they're booty, God, booty-ing either...
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