I became the laughingstock of all my people; they mock me in song all day long. – Lamentations 3:14

Today's Scripture Reading (August 6, 2023): Lamentations 3

In the mid-1970s, Larry Norman released his album, "In Another Land." And one of the tracks on the album was the song "Shot Down." Norman writes,

I've been shot down, talked about
Some people scandalize my name
But here I am, talkin' 'bout Jesus just the same

I've been knocked down, kicked around
But like a moth drawn to the flame
Here I am, talkin' 'bout Jesus just the same

Norman said that in the mid-70s, the Christian Church finally accepted him, or maybe a better description would be that Christians finally took a chance on him. So, Larry Norman released an album written for the Church; he says none of the other albums had been intended for the Church's consumption. But this one was. I know what he means. A friend of mine tells the story about his pastor playing a Larry Norman song in Church. My friend knew the song and said that two versions were available; the album version contained a word unsuitable for church consumption, and my friend prayed that the pastor was playing the more suitable version. Unfortunately, he wasn't. And my friend said he just sank into his seat and tried hard not to look at the people's reaction. He probably also wondered if his pastor had bothered to listen to the song before he played it.

We all know what it is like to be shot down, talked about, kicked around, and had our name scandalized. Norman passed away due to heart issues in 2008, but if I could talk to him about "Shot Down," he would likely admit that it was Christians who did most of the shooting. Not that Norman didn't give them the ammunition to do the shooting. He did! That ammunition included poor word choices and unfortunate decision-making. But it always amazes me how ready we are to shoot.

I get it. I have been shot down as well. And again, I know I give my critics the ammunition. I admit I am a little too Pollyanna (insert naïve) for my critics. I preach "love" a little too much and to some inappropriate people. And I guess I am okay with it. One friend once commented that I was the pastor his non-Christian friends loved, but his Christian friends hated. At least someone loves me.

It sometimes amazes me that Jeremiah was a prophet with whom the Church of his day always disagreed. As he writes that he has become a laughing stock and is mocked, I think this is a personal realization from the weeping prophet. When Jeremiah said that hard times were coming, the people mocked him. When he told people they would be exiled, they laughed at him. And Jeremiah turned out to be correct.

And now, as the Temple lay in ruins, Jeremiah is preaching a message of hope. It is a message that says that God had called them to be the remnant that would begin to rebuild the nation and that they were to stay in the land. But the people wanted to leave for a voluntary exile in Egypt. It seemed that whatever Jeremiah said God wanted of the nation, Israel would disagree. And Jeremiah's name continued to be scandalized.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Lamentations 4