Love, Music, and Blankets

It seems like an incomprehensible mixture of words at first, but I assure there is an explanation to why these words ought to belong together and even arranged in this order.

Love, Music, and Blankets are the three most important things in life.  It is scientific and in this particular equation love must come first.  We only exist and act in life because love comes first.  It was there in our childhood in the form of hugs and kisses and attention.  It is there in our relationship with Jesus in the form of forgiveness and unconditional acceptance.  Love is the beginning of everything good and so it must come before music and blankets. 

But music I believe inevitable follows love.  David was called the “sweet singer of Israel” because he couldn’t help but sing when his mind was fixed on the love and grace of God.  Isn’t it true that when we are alone and filled with joy we sing?  Music is my favorite language because it doesn’t need to be learned.  I’m not quite sure people understand the gift of music.  We think it is a language shared by all creatures and is merely animal.  Music, perhaps, is uniquely human.  Not even the angels sing, they only shout.  Birds may sing but they do not dance or sing for joy or create musical melodies.  Music is uniquely intertwined with the human soul.

Is it not a fact that the soul, in its expression, speaks a language of its own?  It is not a language that we learn like English or French or Chinese.  These languages are confusing to those who are unlearned.  But the language of the soul transcends all boundaries and is understood by all.  The cry of the baby in China is understood in America.  The anguish of the wounded soldier is Afghanistan is rightly interpreted by all in his presence.  The uncontrollable laughter of friends; the affectionate coo of a mother; the wail of a broken heart; these and many other expressions to which we have grown accustomed comprise the wonderful language of the soul.

Music is soulish and naturally follows love.  The birds only sing during mating season and likewise for both men and women the voice develops as we enter into the age of desiring love-making.  That is why most of our songs are about love.  A man in love can’t help but sing.  I’m not sure you can love anything without a desire to sing about it.  Men love God and that’s why we have worship services.  The business man who refuses to sing will sing when the Holy Spirit loosens his tongue and compels him to sing.  He’ll surprise his kids, his wife, and himself.  When his faith and love is expressed in song he’ll never stop singing and for the first time he will feel more natural.

But the best part of the equation is the existence of blankets.  Love will inevitably lead to music and music when appreciated will lead to action.  We have some ladies in our church who knit blankets for AIDS orphans in South Africa.  I imagine them knitting these blankets with a song of praise in their hearts.  What use are love and music if they do not lead to knitting blankets?  Adoration without action is simply a feel good religiosity.  If I am deeply impressed by an hour of praise on a Sunday morning but leave without being spun into action, then the impression is only an impression and without an expression is useless.  It reminds me of Hamlet who said of his prayers, “My words fly up.  My thoughts remain below.  Words without meaning to heaven go.”  If I become excited in a worship service and don’t express adoration in action then my heart becomes increasingly hardened.  That is the danger in emotional worship that doesn’t lead to holiness.

The New Testament offers us a great story that illustrates this point precisely.  You may have never heard of the woman Dorcas, but she was a beautiful woman by all accounts who was loved by many because of her simple service.  When she died all the people wept and all of Hell gave thanks.  I imagine that the day she encountered the love of Christ for the first time a song was placed in her heart.  And how did she produce an expression that was equal to the song in her heart?  The outlet was in knitting blankets and warm coats.  I like to think that in every deft movement of her fingers the love of Christ was being expressed.  God may have not lived in her mouth like he does in the mouths of preachers, but He lived in her fingers and all those who knew her watched in amazement.  Her love for God was woven into every stitch.

Blankets are the natural outcome of music.  Music is the natural outcome of love.  Blankets without music is a drudgery.  Music without blankets is an empty religious expression.

Bonhoeffer, a writer every Christian ought to befriend, has said, “Only those who help the Jews can sing gregorian chant.”