Timbercrete Retaining Wall Blocks

I hate all your show

After being a fan of Switchfoot for a fair while I have been keen to hear Jon Foreman's [lead vocalist of Switchfoot, not pianist from Australian idol :) ] individual cd, 'Limbs and Branches'. Knowing though that it was a bit softer on the ear from what I was used to with Switchfoot I wasn't oozing with enthusiasm. A friend lent the cd to me a short time ago and I've been loving it. Not just because of his music though but because of Jon's heart and cutting lyrics, probably the foundational reason I have respected Switchfoot for so long.

The BIG song on the cd for me is 'I hate all your show'. It pretty much comes from the bible - Isaiah 1:11-17 but also has a bit in it from what seems like Jon's experience of Church (as an institution) and what the Church has or hasn't been to people.

The picture to me, of Church from the song and when thinking of the mainstream church through the eyes of the verses in Isaiah, is like a religious place where religious practices are organised but rarely do they make an impact on the majority of people living on this earth and rarely is it what God is looking for in His people. This is a generalistic comment but I think it would be reasonably fair to say that through what I have experienced, more time and resources have been spent on religious practices in the mainstream church than simply being a group of people eagerly attempting to be more like Jesus to the people around them & the world in need.

The contrast for me is that Jesus made an impact on people pretty much everywhere he traveled .

This has made me think long and hard about the impact I allow Jesus to have through me without leaning on the fact that I go to a church every Sunday and this being the facade that states I am a follower of Jesus.

Here's the lyrics:
I hate all your show and pretense
The hypocrisy of your praise
The hypocrisy of your festivals
I hate all your show

Away with your noisy worship
Away with your noisy hymns
I stop up my ears when you’re singing ‘em
I hate all your show

Instead let there be a flood of justice
An endless procession of righteous living, living
Instead let there be a flood of justice
Instead of a show

Your eyes are closed when you’re praying
You sing right along with the band
You shine up your shoes for services
There’s blood on your hands

You turned your back on the homeless
And the ones that don’t fit in your plan
Quit playing religion games
There’s blood on your hands

Instead let there be a flood of justice
An endless procession of righteous living, living
Instead let there be a flood of justice
Instead of a show
I hate all your show

Let’s argue this out
If your sins are blood red
Let’s argue this out
You’ll be one of the clouds
Let’s argue this out
Quit fooling around
Give love to the ones who can’t love at all
Give hope to the ones who got no hope at all
Stand up for the ones who can’t stand at all, all

I hate all your show
I hate all your show
I hate all your show
I hate all your show