Let ‘Em Feel Ya — A Lesson from Sam Cooke

Last updated on: April 23, 2015 at 12:29 pm by Kirk Franklin

Let ‘Em Feel Ya — A Lesson from Sam Cooke 2015-04-23T12:29:19-06:00 Kirk Franklin

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Do you like Sam Cooke? I LOVE Sam Cooke! There is a line in the Sam Cooke hit A CHANGE IS GONNA COME where he says the line “it’s been too hard living, but I’m afraid to die, cause I don’t know what’s up there beyond the sky”. That is the dopest line ever in life!

The honesty and vulnerability in that lyric makes the listener feel comfortable to have honest feelings themselves about subjects they may not feel being that blunt about. That’s why we love talent like Sam. They proclaim the things we dare not say but wish we could. And when they speak the secrets of our hearts we don’t care if the notes are not always perfect or their image is not that of the fashion runways of New York. Before we hear them, or see them, we feel them.

To me family, the so called Christian world view that we hear on cable news networks or some of the 24 hour preaching channels sound like Charlie brown’s school teacher from the PEANUTS cartoon… we’re talking, but who’s listening?

Again, every channel and every Christian journalist is not part of the problem. Some are frustrated themselves with the ocean of weird prophesies and donation pledges with a free vial of miracle water. Even Jimmy Kimmell gets a good laugh at some of our spiritual salesmen. So if we’re making all this noise, have all of these platforms, why are we still the butt of late night talk shows and critiquing by some short brownskinned gospel singer turned blogger?

Because THE PEOPLE CANT FEEL US.

They’re falling asleep while we’re trying to sell them something we don’t act like we believe ourselves. You listen to Sam Cooke cause you felt like you were down by that river when he was born, sneaking a peak into that little tent. The rejuvenation we so deeply desire will only happen when the fire is reignited in our own souls. Until then we’re just karaoke singers repeating someone else’s song and story.

It has always been hard for me when I meet singers who are taking singing lessons. Rarely has a person who’s studied singing ever brought tears to my eyes when they perform. Most take lessons for the simple reason that they CAN’T sing. The ones that make the hair stand up on the back of your head are the ones that come through the darkest and loneliest places in life only to resurface with a melody dripping with hunger and honesty like life was about to end.

An older preacher friend of mine told me something I will never forget. He said the biggest problem with what we do as ministers or even everyday Christians is that we learn how to fake our way through it. That’s why some people aren’t moved by the song we’re singing as believers. The song the culture hears us sing most loudly is on the things we disagree with inside of the culture, instead of playing notes that are filled with melodies of love powerful enough to transform the hardest of hearts. Every time we grab the mic, we sound mad. Angry. Pissed off. If Sam would’ve sounded mad that he was born down by the river we wouldn’t have loved the song so much. But the pain of it connected with ours even if we were born under better conditions. Maybe if our song said “I’m not a perfect person, and I’m one the worst kids in the family, I believe God has something greater for you instead of the road you’re choosing for yourself. He loves you and would love to take up residence in your heart and heal it while He’s there.”

That sounds a lot better to me than the lyrics on picket signs, and that late night preacher on tv that sweats like he owes Uncle Sam… that’s another blog.

We need to let the people feel us more than hear us. And just because you went to Bible school or you’re the lead singer in your choir doesn’t mean that you have the heart behind the delivery. What have you gone through? What are you willing to share? Do you have doubts about whether there’s a place beyond the sky? Let people know you don’t always know. Invite them to walk with you as you together chase after the one that does.

Only then, is a change gonna come.

Read more on SixSeeds Faith and Family, fan Kirk on Facebook, listen to him on YouTube, and follow him on Twitter.

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