A Glutton and a Drunkard

If I had to choose my favorite music genre (I like that word) I would have to say it is rock and roll. One of my favorite bands is Iron Maiden. I found out something about one of the members that I did not know. Nicko McBrain is a Christian. I have been reading some of the articles about him and they seem to ask the same kinds of questions. How can you be a Christian and play Number of the Beast? How can you be a Christian and be in one of the darkest bands to come out of the 80's? Listen to what McBrain says when asked about being in the band and if he is trying to convert any of his band mates:

“We’ve had some incredibly deep conversations amongst each of us,” McBrain said. “I can’t say to you that I’m trying to convert all these guys in my band to be Christians. I’m leading them on my route, and if they choose to follow what God’s plan is in the Bible, that’s up to them. I say to them all, you know, look, in my belief, at the moment, if you turn to your saviour Jesus Christ, I’ll have eternal life in Heaven with you! … We don’t talk about it every time we get together, but we’ve had some interesting conversations over the years.

“I truly praise the Lord for being able to carry on with this band, and the blessings that we have to be able to make this kind of music, and still go out there and turn young kids’ heads and they go ‘Crikey, these guys can play! They might be old farts, but listen to that!’

I appreciate and respect Nicko's decision to stay and play with Iron Maiden. His decision to stay and play reminds me of Christ decision to hang out with the sinners.

Luke 7: 33, 34 - 33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and “sinners.”

Nicko probably has the reputation of being a Satanist or a sinner for being associated with Iron Maiden but he is following the example of Christ. I sometimes wonder what kind of difference we could make if we were so involved in the lives of sinners that we were accused of being a glutton, a drunkard, a Satanist, a prostitute, a criminal, etc, etc. Unfortunately we often find ourselves so surrounded by "good, clean people" or we are too afraid that we will become like the sinners that we are not reaching a world that is lost and headed straight to hell? Rock on! \m/ \m/