Hard to Handle

A number of years ago, Otis Redding wrote a song called "Hard to Handle." Many people had never heard it until the Black Crowes re-recorded it last decade (and left many people thinking that it was an original tune), giving it much wider recognition than it had upon its initial release.

In case you don't know the song, I'll go ahead and let you know up front that the lyrics are not particularly pure, lovely, of good report, virutous, or praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8). But the song makes for an excellent illustration. I've been in a number of situations where the song was being played by a band in a relatively crowded area and everyone was just bobbing their heads along to the music, occasionally mouthing the words (or doing the ol' "watermelon" schtick), until the end of each chorus, when suddenly 90% of the crowd, it seemed, exploded in unison with the singer, "Hey little thing let me light your candle 'cuz-a momma I'm sho' hard to handle now, yes I am." (I think people sometimes say, "Gets around," at the end.)

That's happened every single time I've heard the song played in the presence of more than three other people. I promise. Every single time. And every single time I think, "Hey, that's kind of annoying."

Everyone knows a few words of the chorus, but they rarely know the rest of the song. Is this how it is with the typical Christian? How many of us "know the words" on Sunday morning, but fake our way through life, bobbing our heads in mock observance, and then act like we're professionals on Sunday? "Yeah! I know this tune!"

That's annoying, isn't it? Not only for those who really "know the words," but I'll bet it's also annoying for those who don't. And hey... do you think maybe God finds this disgusting in a Revelation 3:14-22 way?

Posted in: Christianity, Hypocrisy, Music