If you listen to contemporary Christian music and keep up with the artists, I am sure you may have seen the controversy that has surrounded Lauren Daigle. Lauren has made appearances on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Tonight Show, Good Morning America, as well as Dancing with the Stars. And recently one of her songs was played on Grey’s Anatomy. She has been very popular in the Christian world for several years, but with these appearances her fame is reaching more into the secular world.
There are debates out there among Christians about this recent step into the limelight in the secular world. Some Christians are against it and some are glad she has done it. When I watched her perform on these shows I was happy. Here was a Christian singer making known the name of Jesus in a world that often times does not allow you to speak about Him. Even though none of the hosts asked her questions about her faith, I was applauding her for accepting the invitation to go on their show to sing one of her Christian songs. Good for her. It was a start in the right direction.
But then this past weekend I came across a radio interview she did with 104.3MYFM in Los Angeles (an adult contemporary music station). In the interview the DJ says that she is known as a Christian artist and then asks her if she would label herself as a Christian artist. She then goes on to say that she doesn’t like labels and would prefer to be just known as an artist. You can hear this 20-minute interview with Lauren by clicking here. (The talk about what kind of artist she is appears around the 8:35 mark).
I am not writing about this to bash Lauren Daigle. I don’t know her. I don’t know anything about her relationship with Jesus. I have no right to judge her and am especially not here to condemn her. Do I believe that she loves the Lord? I believe so. Why would she sing music about the Lord if she didn’t love Him?
But what has bothered me about this whole controversy is the lack of using her platform to glorify God. She has been given an amazing opportunity to break through to the secular world and to share Jesus and His love for them to millions of people who have no idea who Jesus is. Yes, she sings about Him, but I wish she would speak about Him more, too. She has been graced with a chance to spread His fame, to make Him known to so many people. And yet she hasn’t (at least not on the shows and interviews that I have seen). I can only imagine the kind of pressure she is under and how overwhelming this all is. If I were in her shoes, I would hope and pray that I would use every chance I get to speak about Jesus and what He has done for me. I wouldn’t want to waste any open door opportunity to step in and speak God’s love for others.
I feel that each of us is given a platform by God. For many of us, we will never have the reach that someone like Lauren Daigle has, but that doesn’t mean our platform isn’t any less important than someone like her. Your platform may be your work place, your family, your friends, your blog, your music, your writing, etc. No matter what platform the Lord has given to you, He expects you to use it to glorify Him in all ways and to speak about Him and share His love with others. He has called us to “be the light” in a world where there is so much darkness. Here are some Scriptures that talk about light:
“No one after lighting a lamp hides it under a jar, or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand, so that those who enter may see the light.” Luke 8:16
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16
“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth).” Ephesians 5:8-9
“But if we walk in the light as He himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7
The point of all these Scriptures is that we have been given the light of Christ. We are not to hide this light and keep it to ourselves. We aren’t meant to hide it “under a bushel….NO!” We are meant to let it SHINE!! We are to be the light in a world full of darkness.
God gives us some pretty amazing opportunities in our lives to spread His name. My question to you is, “How are you using the platform He gave you?” Are you wasting the opportunity to share His love because you’re afraid that someone might not like that you talked about Jesus? Are you afraid of being seen as a “Jesus freak”? Are you afraid that you might not fit in with your friends if you call yourself a Christian? Are you afraid that your co-workers won’t talk to you anymore if you speak about Jesus?
No matter how you answered the questions above, my prayer is that you will be the light of Christ. That you use every single moment of every single day to shine His light. Don’t waste God-given opportunities to be His light in this world. People need to hear about Jesus. People need to hear about His love for them. People need to know that Jesus died for them. People need to know that He forgives them. People need to know about Jesus.
As for Lauren Daigle, instead of condemning or judging her, please pray for her. It is not easy to be in the spotlight. Your every move is critiqued and judged. Pray that she will have the courage to be brave and speak more about Jesus. Pray that she will be the light of Christ to all people and that through her music and her words that others will be led to a life-changing relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
As for you….Go out now and be the light of Christ! Shine brightly for Him! Use the platform He has given you to speak of Him, always giving God the honor and glory for all things.