We Need To Change And Face The Strange

by Eric Elkin

“Now is the time! Here comes God’s kingdom! Change your hearts and lives, and trust this good news! ”

— Mark 1:15

"Now is the time! Here comes God's kingdom! Change your hearts and lives, and trust this good news!" As I read these lines this morning, an image of David Bowie playing Jesus in a rock-opera filled my mind. I don't mean to offend anyone, but wouldn't that be a cool image? David Bowie, dressed in one of those Ziggy Stardust outfits, approaching a crowd singing, "Ch-ch-changes…"

While the thought might sound strange, it is really not that outlandish. When David Bowie released the song "Changes," it was the first step in announcing a new direction for rock-n-roll. No one, not even his admirers, fully appreciated the line "Turn and face the strange" until his next album came out. In June of 1972, Bowie released The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. The album changed the face of rock and influenced a culture change.

The message Jesus sang on the shores of Galilee had an even more dramatic impact. We read them almost 2000 years after they were spoken. Over time, like Bowie's Ziggy Stardust, the effect has been tamed down. At the time, though, the words rocked the world. Jesus yelled, "Change," and set off on starting a new movement. A religious movement compromised of the most unlikely disciples.

“As you get older, the questions come down to about two or three. How long? And what do I do with the time I’ve got left?”

— David Bowie

The words of Mark 1:15 are also being filtered in my mind by yesterday's inauguration of President Joe Biden. It was a day of changes— a change in administration, a change in philosophy, and a change in image. As a male, I can appreciate but not fully absorb what it means to have a female vice-president.

Lady Gaga, who sang the national anthem, fascinates me. Her persona does not reflect her soul. She remains a devout Christian that neither the left nor the right knows how to handle. Amanda Gorman recited a beautiful and powerful poem. She was the first youth poet laureate to read at a presidential inauguration.

Still, the words seemed somewhat hollow, not because of the speakers' convictions, but by the ears who were hearing them. The vast majority of citizens in attendance were citizen-soldiers. They were there to prevent further damage and harm to democracy and its people. It turns out our greatest threat to health and the pursuit of happiness is our neighbor.

Personally, I am cynical of calls for unity. I would prefer to see actions that reflect those words. We, the people, need a change of hearts and lives. Our elected leaders need to start building trust in the American people that democracy is worth fighting for. As people, we need to turn and face the strange. The strange, in this case, is the neighbor who disagrees with you. Can we find common ground? I hope we can because war is costly and ultimately not productive.

Click to read Mark 1: 14-20