The music legends of our time are dropping like flies. Just a few years ago, we lost Michael Jackson, followed a couple years later by Whitney Houston. I attended both of their memorial services from my own home thanks to DirecTV. Still, it’s not hard to get choked up even in your own home when you see the lives that were impacted by these singers.
Both of these artists had amazing memorial services, and I felt like I was witnessing history as I watched. I didn’t get to see the funeral of Elvis Presley who passed before I was born, but everything I ever heard was that the country mourned greatly at the death of the King.
Yesterday, I attended the funeral of Country Music LEGEND George Jones. He was 81 at his time of leaving us to be with Jesus. Now, when a legend passes away, it’s all that is talked about on the news and social networks such as Facebook and Twitter. It didn’t take long for news to spread that Westboro Baptist Church intended to picket Mr Jones’ funeral. Ya know, there’s some rough and rowdy Country Legends who AREN’T dead, and would probably be at this funeral… Me… I wouldn’t wanna be holding a picket sign at this particular event. Country boys normally can fight pretty well!
Why bother George Jones, Westboro? He was a “good ole boy!” Well, that was apparently enough for them to hold an eternal grudge against the singer that was known to most as “Possum.” Their claim was that George was a “drunkard” and says he “used his talent to glorify himself and engage in much adultery.” Well, this “church” which resembles more of a hate group didn’t know the heart, and the “turn around” of the Possom.
“Well, I know a man
That once was a sinner
I know a man
That once was a drunk.And I know a man
That once was a loser
But he went out one day
And made an altar out of a stump.”
When Brad Paisley took to the stage at the funeral, he belted out this song with his voice and guitar… a once single for George Jones himself. Jones made a life change during his infamous rowdy career that involved confessing his sins and asking for forgiveness. I have no idea how Westboro Baptist Busybodies missed out on this little chunk of information. I knew about it years ago myself, and I think I would have probably done a little research before traveling to Nashville with my picket signs and tangling with someone like Trace Adkins. (Have you see that dude? He’s like 7 feet tall!)
“Jesus brought me
Through all of my troubles
Jesus brought me
Through all of my trials.And my Jesus brought me
Through all of my heartaches
And I know my Jesus
Isn’t gonna forsake me now.”
Well, I don’t know for sure if Westboro Baptist ever actually made it anywhere close to the Grand Ole Opry with their hateful agenda, because they actually had intentions of trying picket the basketball arena where Jason Collins is playing on the same day. (Yeah, they have a problem with homosexuals too.) But, this church who has a reputation for never being part of the solution, but always being part of the problem can actually learn a lot from ole George Jones.
Confession and forgiveness create a concrete bond with the Father. Jesus is not up in Heaven waiting to slap us on the back of the hand with a wooden ruler every time we make a mistake. That man DIED for us! We are forgiven! George Jones is in heaven singing with the angels as you read this. He surely didn’t care what Westboro was up to yesterday, nor did he really care about much of anything aside from worshiping the Father.
So, as I sit and listen to “Me and Jesus,” I am reminded from his own voice that “He and Jesus have it all worked out, and they don’t need anybody to tell them what it’s all about.”
“‘Cause, me and Jesus
We got our own things going
Me and Jesus
We got it all worked out.Me and Jesus
We got our own things going
We don’t need anybody
To tell us what it’s all about.”
The Alarida Journey 