I Want to be a Rock Star (or at least enjoy the concert)

They say, you learn something new every day. I learned something new recently that actually surprised me.

Somehow I allowed myself to be talked into going to a rock band concert on New Year's Eve. I convinced myself that it could be fun - I had no idea what to expect.

When I returned to my friend's house afterwards I described the experience this way: "I've had nightmares that weren't that bad." I was cold, alone (my friend stood up front the whole night, while I stayed in my seat), the floor was covered in beer and a good chunk of the people there were drunk, and I was sitting right by the speakers, so it was incredibly loud. The music itself wasn't too bad even though I knew none of the songs and certain forms of a specific f-word were repeated a good number of times. I could go on listing all the ways I hated my evening, but today as I was talking with another friend I realized that I actually would have enjoyed myself a lot except for one thing...

I was alone the whole evening.

I don't blame my friend for wanting to be front and center where she could reach out and touch the singers. I just wish she would have come and spent a few minutes with me between acts.

As I reminisced over the whole night I found that the drunk guys talking to me, the beer on the floor I was stepping in and even the plaster falling on me from a ceiling not accustomed to such heavy base vibrations were not that bad. And this is a huge epiphany for someone as sheltered as me. I have never been to any concert before that wasn't a Christian band. I never went to any party before where everyone was drinking alcohol. I have to admit though that my vocabulary has often enough contained less-than-savory words.

In spite of all the things I wanted to complain about, really, it was a great experience. I did have fun, though not as much as I had hoped for.

My mind wandered to what would Jesus think of me being there and once again He brought to my attention all the places He Himself was found. He would eat with "sinners": drunks and prostitutes among others. They were not 'recovering' alcoholics or former prostitutes, they were still in that life. Jesus wanted to be around them, in their houses. If Jesus lived today, I think He would have jumped at the chance to go that concert with me! He loved the "rough" atmosphere. He would probably frequent bars on a regular basis. He loved being around people who were real.

I'm not saying that if you don't listen to rock music and drink excessive amounts of alcohol you are not real, but a lot of Christians I know hide from those things because of fear or pride or just plain repulsion, even at times when they are angry and should listen to "angry" music or when they are overwhelmed by life's trials and just want a drink.

I don't know - it's hard to explain beyond that, but if Jesus wanted to be around drunks and skinheads then the least I can do is go to a rock concert now and again. Hopefully next time I won't be alone because I will be up front taking pictures with my friend and catching the broken drumsticks that are flung into the crowd...