Switchfoot = Genius

I've been a fan of Switchfoot since the good ol' days of The Beautiful Letdown. I've been listening to Nothing is Sound in my car recently. And I am struck by the ever eloquent truth presented in their lyrics. Lonely Nation:

She turns like the ocean/She tells no emotion/She's been gunning down the fight/She's just reminiscing/Blood, sweat, and one thing's missing/She's been breaking up inside, inside

Singing without tongues/Screaming without lungs/I want more than my lonely nation/I want more than my lonely nation/Desperate we are young/Seperate we are one/I want more than my desperation/I Want more than my lonely nation

I love the following verse:

We are the target market/We set the corporate target/We are slaves of what we want/We're just not amused/And we're just used to bad news/We are slaves of what we want...

because I think it captures the cry of my generation. We've become burdened by materialistic enterprise and the longing for acceptance. We're surrounded by emptiness masquerading as the joys and comforts of life. We're corrupted by darkness masquerading as light. And we feel powerless to escape.

I work at Blockbuster and I see it every day. Grown adults throw the best temper tantrums. We've become desensitized to anything but fulfilling our desires, or rather, the desires advertising agencies have suggested that we pursue. I feel like we're standing on the edge of a great chasm. And if people don't reawaken to community and humility and respect soon, we're all going down. We are desperate underneath forced social etiquette and painted smiles.

Separate, we are one. We don't let people in. We hide behind texts, emails, blaring music, even blogs. But happiness is only real when shared. People need people.

So read 2 Corinthians 11. Read Ephesians. Watch Lars and the Real Girl. Listen to Switchfoot. And, after realizing the depth of God's extraordinary, unearthly love, have the courage to love others. Listen and let them in. Refuse to believe Satan when he masquerades as truth. Because the world does not know truth; the truth is in God's spirit. Read John, too.