A meditation on survival. Come to Jesus or perish. Work like your job depends on it. Become whole.
Inspiring speeches often teeter on the edge of hell and brimstone. Why is that? Why is there not a place for each of us? Why are the homeless without homes? Why are the homeful suspicious? Is it really a zero sum game?
For today, I have a place. Come tomorrow, will my lifeboat sink below the waters?
Alright, so we had the “Come to Jesus” meeting at work today. Times are tough. I know it’s just an expression, “come to Jesus.” But what does that entail? Within the religious tradition I was brought up in, it means (I think) to search within your best parts, looking for power and strength (a reflection of the omnipotent), for wisdom and alertness (a reflection of the omniscient), for shrewdness and awareness (a reflection of the omnipresence), and for weakness (a reflection of the incarnated body of Christ). It means finding these pieces, and bringing them to God in humility, asking for wholeness and growth. It then means to start living like you mean it.
But I’m not here to talk about religion. I’m here to share my experiences with a soundtrack. My experience today, at work, in life, was much the same as usual: faking my way through an uncertain world, intermittently grabbing hold of a real thing or other, knowing it, naming it, sharing it. You have to take it seriously, but not too seriously. We are not yet whole, so be content. We can always get closer, so never be content. “Long time between now and my death. I gotta have my fun, so I’ve chosen what’s best.”
Spiritualized: Walking With Jesus
The Byrds: Jesus Is Just Alright
I can do this job. “I know I’ve done wrong, but I’m heaven on Earth / Know I’ve done wrong, but I could have done You worse.” The job description at times feels overwhelming, at times feels impenetrable. But I can do this job, I know it. But I must bring my whole self to work. I must work like I know how. Like I’ve been taught. I must come to Jesus, within the sound of my confusion. Others will follow.
Peteeeeeeer. Thanks for writing man. Love you, J
And don’t leave out Spaceman 3′s “Walking With Jesus.” And please do leave out “Right Here Right Now” by Jesus Jones. And anything is all right if it’s by Nick “Jesus of Cool” Lowe, circa 1976-77.
Peace be with you, brother. I’m on your side.
Crozier – I came thisclose to popsting the Spacemen 3 original, but felt that the Soft Pack version was too similar, and I REALLY wanted to post that version, so I ended up using the Spiritualized version. Other outtakes from this post include Big Star’s “Jesus Christ” and the Kristen Hersh cover of the same.