This is the annual update and reprint of a blog that was first published 7/21/11.
For a lot of reasons I do
not stay up-to-date on the pop music scene and only occasionally listen to pop
radio stations. I prefer gospel music, talk radio (when in the mood),
light jazz (when I can find it), and sometimes I’m a little bit country (I grew
up in Texas, what can I say?) and sometimes a little bit rock and roll.
However, even though pop
music is not a #1 priority with me, because it often permeates society (clips
of popular songs often show up in commercials and at ball games, etc.) I learn
about songs I otherwise would not know about.
One such song is Firework sung
by Katy Perry. Even though it has been on the charts since 2010, I finally
paid attention to it last year at Stadium of Fire in Provo,
Utah. (That is kind of an appropriate place for a firework song to show up
since Stadium of Fire is the biggest stadium fireworks show in the country, if
not the world.) Appropriately, a clip of the song was played during the
fireworks display.
Shortly thereafter I heard
the song again, with new words, when someone pointed me to a YouTube video. The name of the video was Firebolt and
was a BYU Divine Comedy sketch using different words to the Katy Perry song to send
up Harry Potter and his firebolt scar. I have to admit, it was a fun
video.
This particular video set
my curiosity a blaze and I decided I needed to learn more about the song Firework. That
led me to YouTube again for the actual Firework music video by
Katy Perry. That was an interesting experience. I will admit that it
is a fun, energetic song that appears to have a positive message. However,
I shut the video off before it even finished because it promoted homosexual
behavior, “parties,” and immodesty.
In For the Strength of Youth we read:
While much entertainment
is good, some of it can lead you away from righteous living. Offensive material
is often found in web sites, concerts, movies, music, videocassettes, DVDs,
books, magazines, pictures, and other media. Satan uses such entertainment to
deceive you by making what is wrong and evil look normal and exciting. It can
mislead you into thinking that everyone is doing things that are wrong.
Do not attend, view, or
participate in entertainment that is vulgar, immoral, violent, or pornographic
in any way. Do not participate in entertainment that in any way presents
immorality or violent behavior as acceptable.
While the words of the
song Firework are not, on their own, immoral or deceptive, the
music video was full of deception. It was clearly making what is wrong and
evil look normal and exciting. I, therefore, without fully knowing it at the
time, took the advice of For the Strength of Youth—I stopped
watching it.
But then I got to thinking
about the message of the song—that we are fireworks. That each of us has a
spark of light within us and that we should let that light shine “across the sky.”
On the surface, that seems like a fantastic message. However, after a while the
philosopher in me kicked in.
Think about a firework for
just a moment. How long does that light shine? Hours? Minutes?
Seconds? Yes, fireworks are exciting and powerful and colorful (and
I love fireworks). But they are also
short-lived. Even the most beautiful firework fizzles out in
seconds. The light will not even last a full minute. And once the light
from one firework fizzles out, in order to keep the excitement going another
must be fired and then another and then another. Usually, the best
fireworks shows go through a few hundred fireworks, last about 30 minutes, and
then they are over. The light is gone.
Fireworks are exciting and
colorful, yes. But they are also temporary. Is that what our Heavenly
Father wants for us? Temporary light? To be a burst of excitement and then we
are over?
I believe the answer to
that question is resounding “No.” Heavenly Father wants much more for
us—much, much more. He wants permanent light. He wants
sunshine. That is when the words to a children’s primary song came to my
mind:
These words may seem trite
or even childish next to an exciting song by Katy Perry, but think about
sunshine. What are its characteristics? It is warm. It is
life-giving and life-sustaining. It is more permanent than a firework—much
more permanent. In fact, according to scientists, our sun as been in
existence for about 4.57 billion years.
The sun is also more
powerful than a firework. In fact, there is no question that the sun is
the most powerful force in our solar system.
We also know that even the
stars are actually suns from other solar systems whose light has reached our
planet after many light-years of travel. Imagine the power of a sun that emits
a light that lasts 24,000-26,000 years—the distance our solar
system is from the center of the Milky Way galaxy. And that is just our
galaxy—there are a multitude of other galaxies beyond the Milky Way!
Does all of this give a
deeper, broader meaning to the phrase, “Jesus wants me for a sunbeam?” I
say “Yes!” We can be suns! We can be a light in the lives of those around
us. We can warm their lives. We can give them lasting life. All
we have to do to be this kind of light is be obedient to God’s
commandments. As the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints has taught in For the Strength of Youth:
Because the Lord loves
you, He has given you commandments and the words of prophets to guide you on
your journey. Some of the most important guidelines for your life are found in
this pamphlet. We testify that these principles are true.
We promise that as you
keep these standards and live by the truths in the scriptures, you will be able
to do your life’s work with greater wisdom and skill and bear trials with
greater courage. You will have the help of the Holy Ghost. You will feel good
about yourself and will be a positive influence in the lives of others. You
will be worthy to go to the temple to receive holy ordinances. These blessings
and many more can be yours.
I truly believe our Father
in Heaven wants us to be more than fireworks, which are exciting for a few
seconds, but then disappear. Our Father in Heaven wants us to be
sunbeams—real, powerful, lasting, life-giving sunbeams. And to have this
permanent light in our life, all we need to do is follow Him.
Acknowledgement: A special thanks goes to my
friend Valerie
Dimick who’s lecture on the subject of “sun” versus “light
bulbs” helped to inspire this message.
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