Loving people isn't efficient

We went to a Derek Webb concert in Panama City last night. Within the last year or so, he has become my new favorite artist. When I listened to his new album Mockingbird released in December, it only increased my affection for his music. Besides appreciating his folk rock sound, his lyrics are what capture me. My favorite songs from this album so far are "Mockingbird" and "New Law". He puts to words the things I struggle with and the things I struggle to express. It’s refreshing not only to feel as if you have been given words you were searching for, but also to hear someone speak so boldly and honestly from their heart. I really appreciated him sharing his thoughts about his albums. At the show, he described his first album as songs about being set free, recognizing the liberty we have because of the one who kept the law. He described his second album as being one in which he talks about the things we are set free unto.

In an interview he said:

“Because Jesus has kept the law on our behalf, because Jesus has loved the poor
perfectly on our behalf, we are liberated. That was the message of the first
record.
The message of this record is: it has liberated us unto what? Now
that we are set free, now that we don’t have to do anything to earn God’s favor,
how shall we live in light of that? And I think that looks very much like
helping the poor. And maybe we need to look around us and see that an issue is
that we are not around the poor. As Christians, we don’t live next to the poor,
or those who are gay, or minorities or anyone who could be difficult for us to
love. So now our neighbors are, of course, easy to love. They look like me, talk
like me, make the same money and are interested in the same things. So
this command has become way too easy.”

On The House Show he says:

“Loving people isn’t safe. Loving people isn’t efficient”

Lisa's take: I am learning more and more about this in my personal life. I’m learning more about a love and truth that resonates within my spirit. A love I’ve been searching for…a love that maybe I thought was only a fairytale. I’m learning how to love and how to be loved. It’s frightening because my world is new and I wonder what else I am missing.

One review says Derek Webb “oversimplifies” certain social or political issues. I like to think, however, that is not what he intends. He brings up difficult questions and controversial subjects, but they are real issues and real subjects if we are honest with ourselves.

“About being the one to start these conversations in Christian circles, Webb remarks honestly, “I’m not sure I’m the best one to do it, but it’s not like people are lining up for this particular job. And we need to start this dialogue yesterday about how to love people better. Let’s stop arguing and name calling, let’s find something to commend about one another and then start from that place of unity.”

Lisa's take: I get so excited to hear someone talk about these things. It’s not about stirring up controversy, as some may see it. It’s about recognizing the issues many of us ignore or the questions we are afraid to ask. It’s about opening dialogue to discuss these issues so we can deal with them. We are on this journey together, learning together.

Local artist, Chris Taylor, from Destin also performed a small set. It’s rare I hear music I immediately like from the first song to the last. I really enjoyed the music, it was an acoustic, folk, mellow sound. I’m not ready to comment on his lyrics, although what I could understand last night I really liked. His lyrics were poetic and sung with the music they created a lot of imagery. His set was a nice surprise.