EVERYBODY MEDICATES

This song by Ross King is an expression of an artist who longs for the church to be an authentic place.  Listen to the song here and read along with the lyrics.  Click the widgets to the right to hear the song sample.

Everybody Medicates

Words and music by ross king

A pot of coffee starts his day off right

A cigarette at 10 and 3

A drink or two will get him thru the night

It’s simple chemistry

She is a whirlwind of activity

She rarely finds the time to rest

Never too much responsibility

That’s when she’s at her best

Everybody medicates, everybody medicates

And most of us will suffocate beneath the weight

Everybody medicates unless the church becomes a place

Where we are safe and free to say that we’re not OK

He is successful in his line of work

He’s clocking sixty hours a week

He is a leader in his local church

And everybody sees

She’s flipping thru the fashion magazines

Before she heads out to the mall

She’s searching for a new identity

Seems like she’s tried them all

Everybody medicates, everybody medicates

And most of us will suffocate beneath the weight

Everybody medicates unless the church becomes a place

Where we are safe and free to say that we’re not OK

One tree

That’s all He keeps from us

And somehow it is driving us insane

Fig leaves have never been enough

To cover up our nakedness and shame

Who are we fooling with this game?

She skips a meal or two and no one knows

It’s been this way for quite a while

She’s finally fitting into last year’s clothes

Too bad they’re out of style

He looks at pictures on the internet

He needs it much more than he should

He’s so surprised no one has caught him yet

He wishes someone would

Everybody medicates, everybody medicates

And most of us will suffocate beneath the weight

Everybody medicates unless the church becomes a place

Where we are safe and free to say that we’re not OK

©2003 ross king all rights reserved

Questions that it raises:

1.  Is the church guilty of medicating people (not medicinally, but emotionally and socially)? Do we provide a drug that people think they need when really what they need are authentic relationships (first with Christ and then with each other?)

2. Can church ever be a place where true "authentic exposure" can be tolerated and embraced?  Why is it so hard for the church to be the place of grace instead of condemnation?  Why is the church the last place that people run to for help?

Hard questions--but ones that must be asked.  What say you?