I loaned a copy of "The Joshua Tree" by U2 to one of our youth a few weeks back. That album impacted my life, and holds a top 5 position to this day were I to find myself having to choose only 5 albums to keep. I was expecting life change in him, too...his comment: "It reminded me of Michael W. Smith." Hmmmmm....not what I expected or hoped for. I was incensed. Hurt. Devastated. I do not understand...mentioned this to my friend Doug. His response was equal to that of mine. Fast forward now to yesterday...here is what Doug wrote after some thought:

Been listening to U2 today at work, thought about that comment last night.

I don't hear the MWSmith connection... if he'd sounded like U2 could I'd might have been a fan...

BUT, it does have me reflecting on how so much of our music (and movie? and books?) loves is potentially based on the time in our lives when we encounter it, the associations we have with it, and such. How other people don't seem to "get it" with one's favorites sometimes, maybe will never "get it". Context has immense impact on art. Helps me understand a bit better how the Boomer-Rolling Stone-Woodstock people seem "stuck" in their times... Will U2 and Metallica be the still- performing dinosaurs I regard the Rolling Stones as? I also can look through my music past and see some artists that at the time I was very into, but don't do that much for me now. And some that did nothing for me back when, but I better appreciate these days.

So, this also brought to mind some thoughts on faith and our personal relationship with Christ. I think the context has a lot of impact there as well, and the experiences we've had...helps me understand a bit better how others can seem "stuck" in their way of approaching (or
avoiding) God, faith, the church... I'm finding more and more connections there as I think about it.

Brent here again -- interesting point on context, experience, memory, and church. I wonder how much of the 'critical' comments we hear are based out of a "I remember it like this..." mindset. Sometimes experiences happen and they are so transformative that we hold on to every element of that time, in a sense making it the epitome of what church or music or vacation ought to be. Maybe it was really great, maybe it has more to do with how we remember it; either way, experience plays into everything. Good thing to remember.