It's the BLIND leading the BLIND Pt.1

“It’s the blind leading the blind leading the blind to their demise….” (For Today) if there is one phrase that could summarize my life after being back in Lithuania for almost a year that would be it. I would like to take the time to HONESTLY reflect what I have experienced and how God has worked in my life and what He has revealed to me. I also want to say straight forward, what I am about to write WILL NOT be politically correct. If you have a problem with language and open mindness, this reflection is not for you. 

This whole concept of being “BLIND”. I thought I would be immune to spiritual and cultural blindness but I am not as I realized this past year living in Lithuania. First I would like to address the issue of music ministry.  In my opinion, there are two types of musicians in the world:  the stuck up snot assholes, or the humble ones. That’s it.  Unfortunately, for the past 12 years of my life, I have met one too many musical assholes, to put it bluntly…. One of MY GREATEST PET PEEVES is when a supposed “Christian” musician sings about “God” on stage, seems all warm and welcoming but once they set foot off stage, they’re such a SHITTY person to the people who look up to them. They are arrogant and prideful.  We as Christians have created SUCH AN EMBARASSING music ministry scene for ourselves. It’s absolutely disgusting. Five years ago, I would not have had the courage to say these words straight forward, but since I’ve been surrounded by music ministry ever since I was 8 years old, I think the time has come to play the “Devil’s Advocate” within the music scene who claims to be Christian.  

I wouldn’t say every musician is like this. I have met very few musicians who claim to be Christian that I believe actually live up to the true standard of how it’s supposed to be.  I mean, let’s be REALLY HONEST, I challenge you, how are you living your life for Christ? Are you setting a true Christian example within the music, art, and daily life scene? Can people tell you passionately love God?  I think we as Christians within the music ministry scene and daily lives REALLY NEED TO CLEAN UP OUR ACT. I say these exact words over myself as well, I’m not just preaching to the choir or so to speak.  I remember growing up, I looked up to A LOT of Christian musicians and aspired to be just like them one day. Now imagine this, one day you turn 17 years old, and your realize one of your greatest musical inspirations was a TOTAL LIE. Do we even realize how our actions influence those around us? Or are we merely blind?!

Another thing I’ve noticed…the stark contrasting differences between the Christian music scene in America verse Europe. I could say at one point, America was doing a good job and repping the scene, nowdays, it’s a total embarrassment, not every band, but most of them. That’s one of the reasons I decided to move back to my home country of Lietuva. I was sick of the Christian music scene in that country. I really like Europe when it comes to music ministry because or most people in this part of the world, music from a Christian perspective is NEW. Worship leading is NEW. I prefer to be in places of the world where new never before music ministry movements are starting. After observing Europe’s interpretation of music from a Christian perspective, I can tell they are obviously quite new to it. They have a very LONG way to go compared to America, it’s not hopeless, and that is why I am here…to somehow help offer my loving perspective. I say this in the most kindest way. From the bottom of my heart, I REALLY DO BELIEVE in the potential of music ministry in Europe, but it is going to take a lot of spiritual discipline, and changing of old and traditional cultural mindset in order for Europe’s new Christian music scene to experience its greatest awakening.

Going back to the concept of blindness, I question to myself, have my own actions throughout my life led people astray? Or have I led the people in my life closer to God? I’m SO CONVICTED  by that. This past Sunday in church, one phrase that really spoke to my heart  was “The second we decide to JUDGE someone we officially close the door to LEARN anything more about them”…”Following God is a LEARNING PROCESS.” This phrase is SO TRUE. How many times have we judged someone and forever slammed the door in their face? I know I have one too many times.  How many times have people done that to me? One too many as well.  If we as Christians strive to live up to God’s fullest potential, we MUST be WILLING TO LEARN ABOUT OTHERS, just like we relentlessly learn about God, so we must do that to others. 

  Our spiritual and cultural blindness IS truly blind. And we are blindly leading others as well wither we like that reality or not. When I choose to judge someone or make a false accusation or assumption about them wither it be culturally or spiritually that’s when the BLINDNESS starts to infect and disease our very hearts, souls, bodies, and minds. We live in a culture that is INFECTED and DISEASED with BLINDNESS. I mean, every day, let’s be honest, how many of us make daily judgments and assumptions about others that we do not know for certain are true? To put it simply my own blindness will be the death of me, and his or her own blindness will be the death of them. We MUST make every effort to live in the light of God’s truth and OVERCOME this BLINDNESS.

To be continued. 

Inspired by the following song by For Today: Break the Cycle