Analysis of Deep Joy

Mother Teresa wrote in one of her letters:

I can't express in words — the gratitude I owe you for your kindness to me — for the first time in ... years — I have come to love the darkness — for I believe now that it is part of a very, very small part of Jesus' darkness & pain on earth. You have taught me to accept it [as] a 'spiritual side of your work' as you wrote — Today really I felt a deep joy — that Jesus can't go anymore through the agony — but that He wants to go through it in me.
(Mother Teresa to Neuner, ca 1961; italics added)

You may know that Mother Teresa has had her own faith crisis. I'll get back to that in another posting [update: see Mother Teresa's Sacrifice], but one thing must be clear: this faith crisis does not reduce the reality of her aforementioned words or the reality of her faithful life in general. In fact, those words emphasize the reality of this deep joy. She went on and on, in spite of doubts, in spite of the hard times. Of course, 'going on and on' is not a proof of being on the right road or so - that's not what I mean. But people going on with God even when a situation may become very hard, that is about reality. Reality is not about people watching from the sidelines and then criticizing what they think they see.

Mother Teresa inspired millions of people - Rebecca St. James being one of them. One might wonder where the connection is. Mother Teresa may sort of belong to another world. Rebecca is making music, she is a 'praise leader', while Mother Teresa had not too much time to spend on praise festivals or making CD's. She was continuously busy with people in the greatest imaginable misery. However, the connection is seen immediately if you start with God's viewpoint (at least as far as we are aware of it, given the sources we have for that). Obviously, the connection is Christ. We are all differently 'colored people' (ref. the DC-Talk song), we bring our own colors into the prism, and only if you would picture all the great attributes together, it might remind someone of the multi-faceted, complete and harmonious personality of Jesus.

We all live different lives. Some of us are called to be kings or queens (literally - besides being "God's princess" as Rebecca's explanatory note on Love Being Loved By You so heartwarminglysuggests); others are only a governor, a president, a manager and so on; many of us are 'just' employees or laborers in some company and (seemingly) have only their 'spare time' to live the life of a Christian. This is, of course, a misleading representation, as living a Christian life does not stop when we're doing our job in order to bring food on the table.

But we have been given examples that inspire us. Mother Teresa is one such example, Rebecca St James is a very different one - yet who will decide about how different exacly they are? We are not called to compare positions or decide about what is less or more important. God places different people in very different positions, and they may all inspire others in different ways. But for all the difference beween them, deep joy in God, in Christ, is something that prevails. This is because there is a common ground between them.

What do you see?

I added almost 200 shots from Rebecca's Pray video to the photo pages (you can find them here, and some of them I included in this post). One question here could be: what do we see, or what do we think we see? Some 'great looks' of Rebecca St. James? No doubt. But many of her supporters would tell you that this is about much more than just 'looks'. Those who met her, talked to her, usually did some more down-to-earth observations, particularly such simple things like enjoying the inspiring gentleness of Rebecca.

Now look for one moment to the many secular video clips on such channels like MTV. Real friendliness is rarely seen. Most of these video clips treat female artists like expositions of human flesh. The producers of these clips can, for some reason, get the (often young) female artist so far that they play the game: the suggestive, calculated gestures, the typical lip-licking celebrity pose (that one has now been so overused that it must look ridiculous to most of us). If these things would not hit a market, they would not outlive the proof - so this is obviously a look into the soul of mankind in a 'modern' society. Yet many Christian artists are behaving quite differently - and of course, they usually do have different producers, different managers, different sales directors and so on. A Rebecca video clip (and of course, I could mention other artists as well) is like entering into a totally different world. Christianism and secularism are different world because they have very different views on what really matters.

I like these photo's of Rebecca, but what makes great photos great is not just a beautiful face. In fact, why does an artist sing? If you pay attention to it, it will become overwhelmingly clear that what an artist sings is usually much related to his behavior in the clip. It's like looking and listening to a completely 'flat world'. The 'message' is overwhelmingly disconnected from the the original meaning of logos, the old Greek word meaning - according to the Encyclopedia Britannica - the divine reason that orders the cosmos and gives it form and meaning. In Greek philosophy, this logos rapidly evolved towards the mere idea of logic and reason, but in Christian thought the original significance of the word lego (=to say) remained substantial. The power of a spoken word (logos) is, in modern music, still quite well understood by rappers (although most secular Rap acts have turned into one-dimensional flesh spectacles as well).

But every now and then, a video clip may still say something. And no, I'm not referring to Rebecca videos now, not even to Christian videos. Remember, for instance, the song Beds are Burning (Midnight Oil - Australian band), which made quite some good impact. Many other artists - secular or not - make social statements - which is not objectionable if is about real values that make sense for mankind. U2 is a well known example of such a kind of band (with a sometimes more, sometimes less 'Christian touch'). And it does not have to be political. There are bands singing about romance, who nevertheless make a more lasting impression, who refer to something bigger than life.

Video clips from Christian artists have often been criticized for 'preaching too much'. However, this preaching became more accepted while their music became better, more professional. (compare also an earlier posting, From Rock to Rebecca, covering some aspects of the development of Contemporary Christian Music). Especially in America, Christian artists have a lot of occasions to put their message on the radar.

The videos and songs of Rebecca are known for being very explicitly Christian, so you could call them preachy if you really want. Yet, that is not how I perceive it. They communicate strong, authentic sentiments for God, joy being one of the most prominent sentiments, but trust, faith, prayer are also among Rebecca's 'trademarks'.

The photo's here, all taken from the song Pray, which you can watch 'live' via following links. There is this album version and also this (softer) remix version (which I like very much). In this song, Christian joy is strongly linked with the subject of prayer, getting in touch with God. The experience of joy is, in Jewish and Christian tradition, very often connected with prayer of course, as God is our main resource of all things good and truthful.

What do you experience?

However, the last thing I want to suggest is, that experiencing joy is always easy. For those who have the hardest troubles to find such a joy, it may be tough. It may even be tough for a long, long time in your life - longer than 'acceptable' from a dogmatic point of view. Your valley may be deeper and steeper than many people are ready to admit (without pointing their finger at you, suggesting guilt).

But, here is a suggestion: having someone showing what this joy means, could at least increase our hopes. This joy certainly exists - many Christians are demonstrating that even under very tough conditions. Now if you don't exactly feel like this matches with your own experience, does that mean that you have failed the test? But who on earth could be entitled to judge about your hard times? In my opinion, those people who point with fingers too quickly are in the wrong business. Most people I know, who are real examples, comforting Christians who are setting real standards, are not pointing fingers at others too often. Amy Grant or Michael W. Smith (to name 2 other big shots) are not particularly excelling in charging with a crime all Christians who live below some imaginative standard, they are rather attempting to encourage us, to waken up our minds, to give some example for us to follow. Rebecca is one of those persons who happened to pluck harder at my heart strings for some reasons, but they are all people who live real, authentic lives with God.

Some of us may think: "it's so easy for Rebecca". Or take that heart-breaking note in one of Rebecca's books, I think one of her two '40 days with God' books, where she recalls a girl arguing that it is so unfair: you (Rebecca) are so beautiful, and my sisters are beautiful too, but nobody looks at me saying that I am nice. There you have a statement, a simple but real experience from a young girl.

Of course, dealing with this kind of thoughts can be tough, at least if you want to treat reality as something real. One could comment that Rebecca has been extraordinarily gifted with the talent to give expression to Christian joy in great, heartwarming ways. This is obviously the case. But could that also indicate that this kind of joy is a special privilege for some of us? Of course not, and you can usually see that in your own neighborhood: most of us will know someone who has a positive influence upon, have this inner joy, peace, or quietness - in spite of being people like us, with their own struggles of life. But the more well-known examples are there for a reason too. They are role models, they make public statements, they often give up normal lives in order to do that. They have a different role to play, but they may encourage us exactly in this particular position. Having a pretty face may help to give a particular presence in the media, but when you see authentic Christian life at work, you know it is not just on the face of it.

Rebecca is doing this for many years now. Whatever earlier video clip or photo you are watching, you will recognize the same attitude, a different, growing-up person but still the same authentic Christian life. For instance, if you look at the O' Come All Ye Faithful video (made years ago), you will instantly notice the same, intense expression of authentic joy in God. The same can be said, of course, of many other Christian artists. [Update: should I mention Evie?].

Who is the addressee of this joy? In a video clip about prayer, it is usually God. But this song is not a prayer, it is a statement about prayer in the first place. In almost all of her songs, Rebecca regularly seems to be in a communication with God, directly or indirectly. But she is also communicating with the public, inviting them to live this life with God, insisting on how important it is to have a relationship with God day after day.

While it may please God to give talent to beautiful Christian persons, I would suggest that even God's own 'marketing' ideas about that would be the least important component in the plan. The more important thing would rather be to come to a common understanding of real beauty, real goodness, real joy, all that God had on His mind for us, as 'family of God''. And although I don't think there is something really wrong with lipstick and great clothing, you won't find a lot of that with Rebecca (although she's often dressed nicely). In this, she much reminds of Amy Grant for instance: no efforts to catch your eyes with 'sex appeal' and so on. But if there is anything 'extravagant' here, it is this abundant joy on her face. The source of this joy can hardly remain undisclosed as there is almost no song not mentioning God or Jesus.

If I would tell you something about how my own life looks like, you may wonder if real joy is a really possible for certain Christians. And many, many Christians have problems that cannot be solved just like that. Yes indeed, life can be ruthless, we probably must admit that more often, more honest. But in my experience, looking at others, and how they do it - being joyful for instance - doesn't harm, quite the contrary. The fact that I can see it at work means that there is hope. It may become part of us when we appreciate it. Wasn't it Voltaire who called appreciation that wonderful thing that makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well? (Even a poisonous philosopher like him seems to have understood a thing or two about the human condition).

There may indeed be more hope represented through one faithful believer demonstrating an attribute of God such as joy on the face, than in 100 philosophers or theologians discussing all the 'technical' ins and outs of joy. Because they make you integrate in the community of Christ. Our leaders and examples are participants in the team. We are all very different, but never really alone with our situation.

During her concerts, and also in this video clip, Rebecca often lifts the eyes up, as if she was looking for a glimpse of God. It reminds me of a muslim Hadith (muslim tradition) forbidding muslims to lift the eyes toward the sky in prayer, because "otherwise their eyes would be snatched away" (so Mohammed would have said according to Bukhari). Another explanation of this verse suggests that the lifting of the eyes would allow Satan to "steal (a portion) from the prayer of a person". The idea may not be that strange, as yet another Hadith seems to interpree it as follows: "Be calm in prayer". Jesus rebuked a Pharisee for his prayer because he was praying on the corner of the street so that everyone could see him. It revealed a spirit of arrogance. But this is not the normal situation in prayer of course.  A Jew or Christian would never suggest not to lift the eyes towards the sky - even while it is true that the heart is selfish, sinful. In the Bible, however, this is no ever seen as 'the normal situation'. Our God has much higher expectations from us. He wants us to lift up our eyes towards Him. Our God is an abundant God, and there is no reason why Christian prayers could not be abundant. It is hard to think about anything more Christian than the desire to be close with God. It may be un-Islamic, but it is extremely 'Christian' (and Jewish) to look upwards and speak with our great God.

In a biblical vision, God being the great God of heaven and earth, seated high in His throne, does not contradict with this God being a God who communicates with even the most humiliated human being. If you would ask how Christians know that, the answer will usually be: because of Jesus. He, who had this wonderful, direct communication with the heavenly Father, did not find any reason not to sit at one table with public sinners.

There aren't really any taboos in this area if I may say so. If our heart is truthful, then our mind, even our body, our physical conduct, can be characterized by freedom, openness, and the courage to appear before the face of this otherwise terrifying God. Hence we can lift the eyes to the sky in trust. As Christians, we appreciate this as essential to what our faith means, as revealed in the Scriptures, as observed in Jesus Christ. The 'deep joy' of Mother Teresa is obviously what God wants to give us And what He wants us to give. Among others. Because He has a lot more to give, and He wants us to give everything.

Of course, if Christians would be more like one big family, really taking care of one another, it would make all these things a lot easier. There again, another challenge. There is no shortage of challenges during our lifetime. One of the important questions is certainly whether or not we are ready to accept the fact that this is reality: a world which is full of human beings (not machines), with a lot of deep troubles (not just 'mechanical defects'), but also a lot of deep hope, deep joy to give, and an awful lot to pray for! Indeed I think this is reality. And I don't think we should doubt if this is worth the living. It may not feel like worth the living - that is a personal matter of dealing with our feelings indeed - but this world has always some examples telling us about people who have gone through greater trouble. And there are great books telling us about that - the Bible itself already contains an incredible amount of 'human stories', put in a context that makes us learn from it. And nowadays we also have a lot of great artists still supporting this very faith, and telling us about the same God, the same joy that made King David dance.

Here is one more, remarkable picture from the Pray video, almost from the other side of 'the joy spectrum' this time (and also from the end of the video clip) : Rebecca suddenly having this almost melancholic look on her face. But there's also this longing in her eyes. Christians are not necessarily supposed to be happy all the time - how could we, while there is so much sorrow in our world? But we can always be longing for God, as He can really solve all problems, and also - more practical - as God can give us the strength to be his hands and feet in this world already today, to make things change for the good. Or, to say it with another song, sung (not written) by Rebecca on her God album: "You're the voice, try and understand it - Make a noise and make it clear".

Make a noise that can be heard by the people around. Make also a notice that can be heard by the God out there, so He might listen and take action - or help us to take action. And don't forget to voice your joy towards God as well (technically this is called praise, but, just like in joy, terminology is the least significant factor here).