Life in “Music City” is amazing.  There is so much music, art and joy here in Nashville.  One of my favorite things about “Music City” that you won’t hear about on the radio (except for maybe K-LOVE because it’s here too) is that there are so many huge beautiful churches everywhere. Especially as you head to the outer part of the city, there are sprawling, green hills dotted with these sacred buildings with tall white steeples, reflecting sun by day and lighting up the starry night skies.

Like the churches in Nashville, there are many musicians who are the “steeples” that “light up” their industry. These artists are bringing truth and beauty to the culture through their music. Many of these artists are featured on a series of podcasts I listen to called “Love Good” produced and hosted by Jimmy Mitchell, an active Christian  leader, speaker and musician himself.  In the most recent Love Good podcast, I quickly recognized the artists featured; Rebecca Roubion (who we adore and have been a fan of hers for years) and Scott Mulvahill, with whom she has collaborated with on many occasions. I had seen Rebecca and Scott at the Bluebird once and it was entrancing to say the least. I hadn’t followed much of Scott’s solo work lately, so I was really taken with the featured song this week, “Fighting For The Wrong Side“.  The title alone got me thinking about how often we are arguing and fighting against things we don’t understand, only to later realize we were completely wrong.  I was quick to jump on a bandwagon before I really spent time in prayer or studied scripture, and my thoughts about social issues and moral issues have not changed, but only deepened.  In relationships, however, there is always room for great error.

One easy way to be “steeple” lighting the way for those around you is to be honest with yourself when you have been wrong about something or someone, and be quick to say you are sorry. It’s easy to get sucked into battles these days, especially on social media.

Often we are making presumptions in our interpretations of the things we see, and even more often, the people we meet. Before we jump on to a bandwagon or assume anything, we can proceed with a little caution.  Following the example of Jesus’s mother, Mary and like the scripture says she did so many times; “she pondered these things in her heart”. (Luke 2:19)

God desires from you the least degree of purity of conscience more than all the works you can perform.

St. John of the Cross

What was a time in your life when you were “Fighting for the Wrong Side?”