I recently performed a wedding where the routine involved nothing new. It was outside of the church, but not outside my comfort zone. It was only later upon reflection and investigation by my daughter that I had to rethink some things, specifically our dancing to a particular song.I had actually looked forward to the dancing moments of this wedding. My wife and youngest son were home sick and since my daughter loves to dance with her daddy I thought it would be a fun binding moment for us. So when our table was approached by a group of middle school-aged girls to come and dance with them I thought two things: 'How nice for them to ask us to join them', and 'OK, this will be fun with my daughter.' To refuse might offend as well as miss out on a moment with my kids (my middle son actually joined us too). But what I didn't know was what "wobble" meant--that was the name for the song (and dance) we were going participate in. It wasn't until the ride home that learned from my daughter that it wasn't a nice song. But first the experience.
The guy played the song, the girls unsuccessfully tugged at my oldest son, but we all followed the girls and the bride and other fun friends to the little dance floor. I soon discovered, 'Hey, this is a line dance...I can do this!" I was in show choir in high school and taught interpretive dance in my youth ministry and enjoyed playing the Cupid Shuffle and other group songs of the line dance variety. I quickly learned these dance moves of a couple shimmies, a move I called out loud "milk the cow" to the right, then to the left, and a cha-cha slide rotation and do it all again. No problem. I never listened to the words...I was engrossed in the faces of who I was with and to be honest getting into the song and having fun with my kids and the people on the floor...whom I think were involved the same as I was--just having some wedding celebratory fun with the guests.
Well as most songs do it came to an end, we smiled at the others and walked off the floor. I finished up some things with the bride and groom and calling the children headed to the van and drive into town for an errand my wife texted me about. Then we would be home. It was on the way toward running the errand that my daughter told me the song we danced to wasn't a very good song. She said to me, "Didn't you hear the words to the song?" I was like, "What?" She said, "I could read them to you," but said it with the tone that it wouldn't be good for the 'young kids' in the car. I had her Google the lyrics and took the phone with me as I went into the store.
It is kind of funny what you remember about the way things were to you and how they might have been to others; it makes you wonder what others were thing about the same event you were participating in having replayed it in your mind with the new thoughts you now had and seeing their faces again--and now I replayed those moments thinking about my role at the wedding, about the words of the song, about the girls who invited us to dance, about my sons and daughter, and about God. I sometimes think things bother me more than they do the average person too... and when I got back into the van I told me daughter had I known the words to the song I wouldn't have participated.
Funny what thoughts you have when you wake up. I woke up rather early playing over the one incident again. During my deliberation, wrestling about what people thought about my participation and what I myself should think about it. I cannot deny that it was fun and definitely memory making. Suddenly I found my mind wandering towards the passage where Paul spoke about meat being offered to an idol and how we should approach this event. I think it offered some help to me here.
1 Corinthians 10:23 “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. 24 Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. 25 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 26 For “the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof.” 27 If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 28 But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience— 29 I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else's conscience? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks? 31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.
The part of this passage that was helping me battle the "tyranny of the faces" was "if you are invited" and "without raising any questions". For now, my hope is that my daughter and I can continue to engage in conversation about this incident and any future ones, that God's Word will continue to guide us in our thoughts and behaviors, and somehow out of the things we do with others in this life, God will be glorified and people can be drawn to Him. --kk