In this next portion of lyrics, Billy Joel belts a sobering accusation...
You say your mother told you all that I could give you was a reputation,
Aww, she never cared for me,
But did she ever say a prayer for me? Aw whoa whoa…
Ouch. What strikes me first is how the self-proclaimed “sinner” seems to recognize the value of prayer and calls attention to the hypocrisy of casting judgment in its place. Second, I’m forced to acknowledge that the accusation extends beyond protective mothers, to the church as a whole.
Think about it. How often do we point condemning fingers at sin, and then fail to extend Christ’s love to those walking in darkness? We sport buttons and bumper stickers, we wave picket signs, but what about the people at the core of the issues? Take the guy in this song, for instance. He comes off cocky, but what’s at the heart of his desire for sexual conquest? Is he longing for purpose? Is he starving for self-worth? Would he welcome a prayer if we offered it?
And what about his girl, Virginia? Oh, that’s right. She “got a nice white dress and a party on [her] Confirmation…and a Cross of gold.” In evangelical circles, we’d give her a fish-stamped purity ring and send her to a conference. That oughta keep her feet on the ground… right?
Tradition alone can be pretty hollow. Throughout my teenage years, God blessed me with Christian mentors who prayed for me, helped me understand Scripture, allowed me to ask questions, and—best of all—led by example. The church needs more of that.
So, how about it? The next time we’re tempted to turn our noses up at sin, let’s offer up a prayer instead (at the very least). Let’s love the unlovely and remember that we were unlovely once too: “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins” (Romans 3:23-24, NLT).
