If you like music, chances are you are familiar with Apple’s online music store, iTunes. Recently I logged into the store looking for something to buy with my gift card that I got for Christmas when I checked the top ten songs as I usually do. What I saw interested me, so I decided I would do some research on these songs. What I found was not pleasant. I looked up the lyrics to every one of the top ten singles, and my research indicated that nine out of the ten tunes either cursed or had sexually suggestive lyrics. My question was: how did these become the top ten songs in America? This is a sad and scary thing. Our culture has become so desensitized to this immorality, it truly is alarming. As Christians, we must be above this and not purchase these songs.
In Philippians 4:8, Paul says, “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” I don’t know about you, but when I listen to a song, often times the lyrics get stuck in my head. If I am listening to the newest Lil’ Wayne single that uses every curse word known to man, chances are my mind is not going to be thinking pure and lovely and honorable thoughts.
Christians are to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world as Jesus said in Matthew 5:13-14. If we act the same way as the world or listen to the same music, our light will be hidden under a basket and no one will be able to tell us apart.
This weekend, I want you to take some time to go through your iTunes and delete any music that you wouldn’t listen to with another Christian in the car. Perhaps another way of viewing this would be to ask yourself how people would think of you if they picked up your iPod and started scrolling through your artists. Would they think it is the iPod of a Christian? We must not become desensitized like the rest of the world. Let us make an effort to set ourselves apart from the world in every way and that includes something as trivial as music.
Preacher Joe's Thoughts 
Well said and well written Joe. Music has a bigger impact on us than we realize. Way to bring it to the forefront. Good job bro!
Amen Brother! What people often times don’t realize is that the lyrics to the music we listen to are a direct reflection of the kind of people we are. So if the lyrics are sending a messege with vulgar and displeasing sexual content or reinventing some new swear word as opposed to lyrics with a message of something more Godly, then that would destroy the Godly reputation we as Christians should uphold, and discredit the seriousness of our Christianity.
Right on, right on! We must be “salt” but we must avoid becoming desensitized to “salty language.”
Good thoughts!! Would people know we are Christians by our choices?
Great points. In addition, what music do you listen to on the radio in your car?
If you were listening to music when Jesus came, what would He say about your choices?
Thank you everyone. You all make excellent additional points. If I do this as an article for someone someday, I’ll take your comments into consideration for adding them to this. You all are very nice, and thanks for taking your time to read this article.