I experienced the love of Christ at a rock 'n roll show Friday night.
It was a tribute to Kip Brown, who I wrote about Thursday. Kip wasn't missing though – his presence was present the whole night.
His daughter Gina sang for the band, to a packed house. Between songs, she said, "Kip loved every one of you."
Is that not Christ-like?
Playing gnarly rock 'n roll at dive bars doesn't seem like an upstanding lifestyle. But Kip didn't get impaired on any substances, he was a family man. Jesus hung out with some sketchy characters too…
And he loved everyone. Which means he forgave us.
The first time I talked to Kip, I was hella lame. 21, I'd just seen the Pontiffs for the first time, at the Free Street Taverna. He'd held his guitar in my face while soloing and my mind was absolutely blown.
I went up to him after the show and just kinda blabbered for a few minutes. I don't remember what I said, but I bet it was like the skit where Chris Farley interviews famous people. "Do you remember that time you held your guitar in my face? That was cool!"
He gave me no attitude. I had a lot of energy, but he just smiled graciously and let me go on. Finally I kinda ran out of steam, and he just said, "Thanks, see you next time!"
I've learned since then, to be a performer and also keep your human decency requires you to forgive your audience. Some of them come to meet you messed up, projecting their desires and expectations about what meeting is going to mean.
And that's okay. Kris Eckhart of King Memphis (who also blew my mind, that night years ago) sometimes says on stage, "We are your humble servants."
Humility and service? Gettin' pretty Jesus-ey over here.
But there are limits. Performing is a service. Each person has to decide in what ways they will serve. It's so fun (or it's supposed to be) that we are willing to put up with some not-fun parts. There's no requirement we put up with all of them.
Love and limits are not opposites. The opposites of love are comparison and judgement. And at garage rock shows, I've felt the least judgment, the most love, as I've ever felt in any other form of church.
Rock me, Jesus. Rock me in the bosom of Abraham until my soul is satisfied.