photo #7718550

During my travels to China, I tended to shy away from Chinese food, instead settling for something more familiar. My Chinese friends would encourage me, but no matter how much they preached I just couldn’t find myself attracted to a lot of their food. However, that changed when I met Derek.Derek didn’t really care if I enjoyed his national cuisine or not, he only cared that he found it delicious and that it worked for him. During our conversations, he would occasionally talk about his evening plans and weekend adventures. One day he said that he was excited to go to a very good duck restaurant. His efforts in praising them were not to convince me to eat there (I wasn’t invited to dinner with him), he sang their praises because they did a great job and he really enjoyed it. That weekend, I went to the restaurant out of curiosity, and I enjoyed duck pancakes, pickled spinach with peanuts, and sweet and sour fish. They are now some of my favorite dishes.Sincerely singing praises is often contagious. It piques curiosity, sets a terrific first impression and spreads a positive message for those that do good work. No force is necessary.Furthermore, song (literally) is something that may bring people from very disparate parts of life together, for songs can reach beyond borders and into peoples’ lives. There it may get stuck in their heads, or stay with them for years on end, the words or tune affixed to a special time and memory. Would it be preposterous to suggest we treat Gods’ love like such a melody? Is it not after all, something immaterial but which moves us in some deep and knowing way? Literally, spread songs of joy amongst friends and nations, if you can, seek out other religious songs in other tongues. Figuratively sing his praise, let it be one of your favorite songs to carry with you wherever you go. You never know who’s head the song will get stuck in.