Jesus vs. Bon Jovi

written by X2J Crew Member Janel Weyant

We can easily get distracted with “things” in life and become excited and enthused about it to the point of forgetting what place Jesus MUST have in our lives. Why is that we cheer, dance, scream and shout for our favorite athlete or musician, but we put our hands in our pockets the moment we stand in church to sing? This week Janel exposes a truth about how we ALL can get easily distracted in worshiping the wrong person or thing if we allow the stuff of this world to dictate our life.

• How excited do you get when you know you’re going to church or youth group vs. to a sports or concert event?

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. – Romans 12:1-2

• How do you when you have lost focus of your relationship with Jesus?
• What are some thing that distract you from focusing on your relationship with Jesus?

So, I went to a Bon Jovi concert in Hershey a couple weeks ago. It was the first concert of their 2010 US tour and I was so excited! I’m a huge fan and I couldn’t wait as it was going to be the highlight of my week! I was going with some friends from my church and we had gotten cheap tickets and really crappy seats but I didn’t care! I was going to see BON JOVI! I know, pathetic, but hey: he’s a legend!

When we got there, I have to say, I was a little disappointed. There was a lot of drinking. Now, I’m not used to that kind of thing. I guess some people are but it bugs me. So, trying to ignore the fact that the woman standing next to me was about to spill her drink or fall over or possibly both (and was the same age as my mom!) I rolled everything over in my mind. Just remember, Janel, I thought; you’re here for Bon Jovi.

The band started to play and my friends and I screamed. We jumped up and down to It’s My Life. My friends waved their hands in the air, just having fun. People around us were also screaming and waving their hands, when a thought hit me (which happens a lot)

My friends are the same ones who go to my church’s youth convention with me every year at the Hershey Giant Center. This sort of felt like that but then I realized: Bon Jovi isn’t Jesus, so why did I want to put my hands in the air? Raising my hands is what I do to show Jesus that I’m surrendering myself to Him. I felt like I should only raise my hands to God and if I did that for anyone else, like Bon Jovi, God would see that as making that person or band or group an idol.

The rest of the concert I didn’t raise my hands but I did have fun jumping around and singing out loud with everyone else. But it didn’t even come close to how I feel at Youth Convention. It might seem weird to you but I realized that I would rather be worshipping Jesus, raising my hands to Him and jumping up and down, then be at a Bon Jovi concert. I think I even had more fun with my friends at Youth Convention. I felt more at home; more myself too.

Now, don’t get me wrong, going to the concert was an awesome experience and I might do it again, but for now, I think I would much rather spend time worshipping in Jesus:

Jesus Wins!