One Direction

So, I broke down and watched videos of "One Direction" this morning.  After hearing that "What Makes You Beautiful" song 1000 times at summer camp and seeing one of my youth girls look at herself in every reflective object in my house last night (apparently one of the members of the group made that a "challenge" this week), I decided I needed to check out this newest boy-band phenomenon.  I watched three of their videos on YouTube (well, just thank God for YouTube, huh?).  Anyway, I have several reflections based on my experience this morning that I want to share with the world...well, at least my youth girls (so I hope they read this)...

1.  I'll give you this...the music is peppy and catchy.  I'm going to be singing that beautiful song in my head all day (as much as I'm currently trying to replace it as soon as possible with a worship song).  What is is about?  Have you thought of that?  What purpose do those songs fulfill in your life?  The Bible teaches us to meditate on the Word of God and things that are true, pure, and lovely.  Are you listening occasionally or meditating (rehearsing in your mind all day) on these songs?

2.  They are cute, I'll give ya that too!  If I was a teenage girl, I would like them.  In fact, I was a teenage girl once and I believe I was absolutely OBSESSED with a group called "New Kids on the Block".  I had the posters all over my room.  I used the VCR (that ancient piece of technological equipment) to videotape EVERY TV show they were on.  I even learned how to play the piano so I could play their song "I'll Be Loving You Forever" whenever I wanted.  I wrote them fan letters and learned every single thing I could about their personal lives through the teen magazines I saw in every grocery store newstand.  I even went to 3 or 4 concerts and bought every t-shirt, cassette tape, video tape, earings, trading card, poster, and button I could find with their names or pictures on them.  I also remember that my thoughts were CONSUMED by fantasies about the 5 boys in the "New Kids on the Block" (Danny, Donny, Joe, Jordan, and Jonathan, who was my favorite). I think I truly believed that if I thought about them enough, I could someday meet and marry one of them and then be able to do what married people do (if you know what I mean).  Be careful ladies, that your thoughts stay pure in all of this because I know mine didn't.

3.  As I watched a video of one of "One Direction's" concerts, I saw them perform a song called "More Than This".  Again, catchy tune, but what captured me in this video was not what what they were doing on stage, but the reaction of the young ladies in the audience.  Many of them had their hands raised in the direction of the young men on stage, singing the lyrics of the love song with them, "I can love you more than this."  I couldn't help but see the similarities between this scene and what I've seen at youth convention worship sets.  Young people, in a room with lights and fog machines, holding their hands up to the sky, singing the lyrics of the band.  The only difference in this video I watched this morning is that those young ladies were worshiping something very different.  They were worshiping 5 teenage young men, instead of Jesus Christ. 

I'm not against anyone liking a band, especially "One Direction" which seems to have cute, catchy, mostly wholesome songs compared to a lot of the mainstream music that is out there, but ladies (and parents) let's guard our hearts while we watch and listen to this music okay?  They are just human beings; they are not gods.  They may be cute, but someday, you will think your husband is WAY cuter and sexier, so don't dishonor him with your thoughts!  And let's make sure that our worship is really placed in ONE DIRECTION....towards GOD!

Thanks girls, for giving me something to watch/ do this morning!  And I agree with the boys in the band on one major thing... many of you "don't know you're beautiful!"

LOVE YOU!
Pastor Rachel