Mars Bigby thered_planet@hotmail.com
This weekend I checked out the Voices of Inspiration, SIU's resident gospel choir. The concert was ... well, how do I put this? If you are ever at a time in your life where you are down and out, or you're scared, or a little worried about something, find a gospel choir. When you hear the power in the voices, it energizes you. When you hear the harmonies dripping with truth, it empowers you. When I listened to Voices of Inspiration, they did just that - they inspired me.
That wasn't their only gift, though. They left me with two important messages. One of them I got before the choir started singing. The director started out with a speech - and I'm paraphrasing - acknowledging that some of the audience members probably knew some of the performers on a personal level. He went on to say how some of the knowledge that the audience had may not be examples of perfect Christian life. He also said maybe because of what they know they might feel that they were unable to receive the message from that person. He then said if you can't receive it from them, you can't receive it from anybody. It got me thinking.
Ever notice how we take a message and instead of taking it for what it is, truth or lie, we filter it through whoever told us the message and make our decision based on that? We judge people, and in judging them, we often pass judgment on the message. Would Martin Luther King Jr.'s message have been any less true if he were an ex-con.? Would Matt Hales' racist messages be more true if he had a license to practice law? Why are we unable to separate the message from the messenger? None of us are perfect, yet we seem to forget that when we start casting our stones. From the mouths of babes comes the truth. From the mouth of a liar can come the truth. And from your mouth can come the truth.
We need to be open to receive the message from whoever it is that's sending it. We also need to question messages regardless of who is sending it. You ain't seen nothing yet! That's the other message they left me with. If your grades aren't as strong as you'd like them, have a little faith and you'll get through. If you graduate in a few days and have no idea what your future holds, wait. It will come in time. I know not everyone out there believes in God, or a higher power, but it seems to me that you cannot possibly make it through life without believing in something.
At the least, believe in yourself - the rest will become evident. If things aren't exactly how you would like them, you have to look through it to the next day. Believe that you are destined for something. It's only when you give up on your belief that you'll lose. Keep the hope alive. Live like there is a tomorrow and that tomorrow will be better than today. You've got to keep on moving. Don't let anything slow your roll and eventually you'll get there.
That said, it's goodbye again. I'd like to leave you with a quote that's written in the hallway of Wham. I'm not sure, off the top of my head, who said it, but it goes something like this: "Be ashamed to die until you've won some victory for mankind."
Don't Get Me Wrong appears on Tuesday. Mars is a senior in university studies. His views do not necessarily reflect those of the Daily Egyptian.
Published on 11/17/05; 12:24:44 PM
