Own the Night Like the 4th of July
"Do you know the song 'Firework' by Katy Perry? Do you know the first few lines of it?"
Believe it or not that was a line that my teammate Ashley and I used a handful of times when we went out "evangelizing"/"barehand evangelizing"/"meeting people" at MIT last year. (Okay, so we only used it twice). The point of these "evangelizing" sessions was to go and talk to random people and just talk to them about their faith. Get them to begin to think about things beyond themselves. And then maybe share a little bit about our own faith. I thought it would be great to use this line, because it meant we would then have to awkwardly and goofily sing or recite the first line of the song ("Do you ever feel like a plastic bag, drifting through the wind, wanting to start again?") and then we could ask if they ever felt that way. Or if they ever felt "so paper thin, like a house of cards, one blow from caving in." It sparked a really beautiful conversation one time with a young woman named Liana...
We stood outside of the Student Center talking for about a half hour. She was telling us about her mixed Buddhist and Christian background. Telling us about her dreams of pursuing medical research so she could help humanity (especially in the realm of curing cancer). She was a beautiful woman! With a great soul! She asked us a few questions about what we did as Catholic missionaries. We cracked a few jokes and enjoyed the rare beautiful Cambridge weather. I never saw her again on campus, but last night I thought of Katy Perry's "Firework," because it was the Fourth of July...and I thought of Liana (and the few other students we talked to about that song). It reminded me of how much more beautiful these people God created are than these man made fireworks. That they are truly unique and unrepeatable mysteries. And every opportunity I have to talk to any of them, any of these children and creations of God's is a blessing! What Katy Perry was saying, that "you're original, cannot be replaced" is true. We are fearfully and wonderfully made! Just sit in awe of that some time. Become aware of how He specifically made us. He made us for a reason, with great purpose. "For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." (Jer. 29:11).
We are unique. No one else is like us. We are made in the image and likeness of our creator, of our Lord, of our God. So you "just gotta ignite the light and let it shine. Just own the night, like the Fourth of July."
"Because, baby, you're a firework."
Believe it or not that was a line that my teammate Ashley and I used a handful of times when we went out "evangelizing"/"barehand evangelizing"/"meeting people" at MIT last year. (Okay, so we only used it twice). The point of these "evangelizing" sessions was to go and talk to random people and just talk to them about their faith. Get them to begin to think about things beyond themselves. And then maybe share a little bit about our own faith. I thought it would be great to use this line, because it meant we would then have to awkwardly and goofily sing or recite the first line of the song ("Do you ever feel like a plastic bag, drifting through the wind, wanting to start again?") and then we could ask if they ever felt that way. Or if they ever felt "so paper thin, like a house of cards, one blow from caving in." It sparked a really beautiful conversation one time with a young woman named Liana...
We stood outside of the Student Center talking for about a half hour. She was telling us about her mixed Buddhist and Christian background. Telling us about her dreams of pursuing medical research so she could help humanity (especially in the realm of curing cancer). She was a beautiful woman! With a great soul! She asked us a few questions about what we did as Catholic missionaries. We cracked a few jokes and enjoyed the rare beautiful Cambridge weather. I never saw her again on campus, but last night I thought of Katy Perry's "Firework," because it was the Fourth of July...and I thought of Liana (and the few other students we talked to about that song). It reminded me of how much more beautiful these people God created are than these man made fireworks. That they are truly unique and unrepeatable mysteries. And every opportunity I have to talk to any of them, any of these children and creations of God's is a blessing! What Katy Perry was saying, that "you're original, cannot be replaced" is true. We are fearfully and wonderfully made! Just sit in awe of that some time. Become aware of how He specifically made us. He made us for a reason, with great purpose. "For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." (Jer. 29:11).
We are unique. No one else is like us. We are made in the image and likeness of our creator, of our Lord, of our God. So you "just gotta ignite the light and let it shine. Just own the night, like the Fourth of July."
"Because, baby, you're a firework."
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