If I asked you who your favorite artist was, how would you decipher the choice? Would it be on a body of work, talent, technique, presentation or would it simply boil down to preference. Honestly, no matter what choice you make or how you make it, it all comes back to preference. But the major thing to keep in mind is "what is my preference rooted in?" Often times, I see people change their lives and start to live for Christ and their preference never changes. They take what they loved before they met Christ and try and find something that equates to it spiritually, instead of replacing those things solely with the things of Christ. The biggest evidence of this is in music. Before I met Christ, I was the hugest Jay-Z fan. So when I gave my life to Christ and got introduced to Christian Hip-Hop, I instantly started trying to find who is the Jay-Z of Christian Hip-Hop. Keep in mind all the things that Jay-Z stood for are contrary to the lifestyle I had begun to live. So when I first heard Lecrae, it blew my mind because I found satisfaction in knowing that I had something that could “keep up” with what I had left.
But the funny thing was, as soon as I heard something new from Jay, I would instantly try to see if Lecrae had anything that could compare. You may be saying what is the point that you are trying to make, and my response is this: what you have in Christ is far better than what you had in the world. When you transition, you move from one state or place to another. So although things in your current state may look similar to what you were used to, it takes on a different meaning. Jay-Z can never offer me what Lecrae does b/c Lecrae gives my spirit food to eat off of through the gospel, while intriguing me musically. While the only thing Jay could offer was a quick emotional ride that indirectly kills the spirit of the living God that is within me. So I’ve come to understand the two are not equal, just similar in nature. But at the end of the day, it’s still preference…….my soul to be fed or my emotions to be stirred. Which do you choose?
`D.Will
