These Boots are Made for Worship

I'm wearing my favorite pair of shoes - the shoes that I probably wear too much, but I like 'em. They're very comfortable. I can wear them with jeans or khakis. Actually, they're not really shoes - more like boots. Black - with thick soles. (Truth be told, one of the reasons I wear them is that they give me an extra inch or two of height I had always hoped for).

But my dad would never be caught dead in these shoes. He wears loafers - with a leather tassel. He has brown loafers, black loafers, tan loafers - I think he likes them because they bridge the gap between formal and informal for baby-boomers. I tease him that it's because it's harder for him to reach down and tie shoes at his age. But I've never even owned a single pair of loafers. I've never worn anything with a leather tassel.

What shoes are you wearing right now?

We can relate our shoes to the style of worship we feel more comfortable. My boots may be very comfortable for me, yet uncomfortable for you. Likewise, there may be a certain element in a worship service that you just can't connect with for whatever reason, yet it may be like a comfortable pair of loafers to the person sitting next to you.

Often discussions in churches today center around corporate worship style. Contemporary versus traditional. Hymns versus choruses. Sweet referred to these arguments as "worship wars." Churches have battled and even split over hymnals having been replaced by video screens and Powerpoint. Grenades have been launched over organs having been replaced by keyboards and guitars. For some, the music in church has become too loud. For others, it's never quite loud enough!

The Church is extremely diverse. There are some who grew up singing only the great hymns of our faith, while others may have never even heard an organ played in a worship service. What an incredible challenge it is when we all come to worship God - together!

I grew up in a very traditional church with piano, organ and a choir director. We even had hymn sings some Sunday evenings. I always requested my favorite, #317 - "Victory in Jesus" –because it was upbeat.
This upbringing birthed in me a real and genuine love for traditional music. When we stand and sing many people's favorite hymns "Amazing Grace" or "Great Is Thy Faithfulness," I can't help but sense the history of decades and even centuries of believers who have joined us in affirming the rich truth of these lyrics.

Yet I've also gained a great appreciation for some contemporary forms of expression that allow my soul to soar to new heights as I "sing to Him a new song" (Psalm 33:3). The freshness of some of today's music ushers my heart to new depths as I respond to who God is. But that's just me. We may see things differently, but the Object of our worship is still the same - our almighty, sovereign and holy Creator, who alone is worthy of our life of worship!

The Bible never intended worship to be about style anyway. Jesus taught that we are to worship Him "in spirit and truth" (John 4:24), and Paul taught that our spiritual act of worship is to "offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God" (Romans 12:1). There is no reference to a right or wrong style, or a right or wrong instrument. Only a right heart.

I may never wear brown loafers with a leather tassel, but I sure respect my father. I can appreciate that he has different tastes than I have. They're not wrong - just different. More a product of our generations than anything. And I doubt I'll ever be able to talk him into wearing a pair of thick-soled black boots. But that's ok. We're family, and that's what really matters.