Hi, my name is Andrew Arp and I am a music junkie. And my taste isn’t really exclusive to one genre either. I like to sample all the music goods (yes, even country sometimes). So when the Grammy’s roll around, I am always excited. You never know what you will see. I remember the year the Blind Boys of Alabama teamed up with Kanye West or Michael Jackson performing “Man in the Mirror” in 1998. But this past Sunday night was no different as I was drawn to my TV. Mumford & Sons, The Avett Brothers and Bob Dylan performed “Maggie’s Farm” together and it was incredible to see these bands of a new generation jam with the voice of an older generation.

As much as I am a fan of music, I always have to ask myself why I love the Grammy’s so much. After all, it really is just of a giant ego boost party for all of these entertainers…and there you have it!

The Grammy’s, for one night let’s us look into a community of vast difference. Performing on the same stage are country, hip-hop, rock and roll and even folk artists and they all have mutual respect and admiration for each other and their craft. Every performance receives a huge ovation and every winner is proudly applauded. They even celebrate the passing of those of their trade every awards show. If only the church could be a little more like this. Sometimes the one thing that unites all of these celebrity musicians (music) is often one of the main things in the church that divides us so easily. And we are commanded to get along.

Hebrews 10:24-25 issues a new way of looking at this. “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” The image of spur one another might bring to mind a horse and rider, so let’s look a little closer at that since spurring might hurt a bit. The Greek word actually means to incite/excite each other. We should be excited about our differences and our differing taste. We should appreciate the style of the older and the younger generation and find away to celebrate each other rather than continue to find ways to separate into our little taste bubbles (I am pretty sure those won’t exist in heaven). And we should do this every time we get together/worship together.

I know it is weird to use the Grammy’s as a definition for a healthy community, what with all of the individuals who are messed up, broken, irreverent, and at times profane…but maybe not.