The Gallup polls of a Princeton study regarding religious identity in 2009 identified that 78% of Americans claim the Christian faith. “Polls consistently show that a large percentage of Americans claim to believe in God or to be born again, yet the effect of
Christian principles is decreasing in public life.”[1] Of course it is clear that Christians as a whole are not impacting society when one simply looks at the top 10 downloads of itunes.

     One in particular is called “Pumped Up Kicks”. It is a song where the chorus has been played in the background of some of the most popular teenage shows. Many kids identify the melody and chorus, yet do they really know what it is expressing? Take a look at the introduction of the song.

“Robert’s got a quick hand. He’ll look around the room, he won’t tell you his plan. He’s got a rolled cigarette, hanging out his mouth he’s a cowboy kid. Yeah, he found a six
shooter gun. In his dad’s closet hidden with a box of fun things, and I don’t
even know what. But he’s coming for you, yeah he’s coming for you. All the other kids with the pumped up kicks you’d better run, better run, outrun my gun. All the other kids with the pumped up kicks you’d better run, better run, faster than my bullet. ”[2]

     So, why is it that 78% of the people identify with Christianity, yet this is in the top 10 of the most downloaded songs on itunes. It implies even Christians are living against the moral system of the 10 Commandments that have been the standard of the moral foundation for Christianity? How could this be happening? There could be two answers. One could claim Christianity and yet not really be a born again believer or one is compartmentalizing their faith.

     Of course, this is an age old problem. Just simply look back in history. Adam and Eve followed the ways of the deceiver Satan in Genesis 3, the Israelites followed the ways of the Canaanites and the saints at Ephesus wanted to continue in their old lifestyle. Yet, all of them were corrected and warned of the path they were on when parting from God’s design of living. “God is the sole source of the entire created order”[3]. His Word should be the place where all of our principles for life are made. So,
we must think Christianly on more than a Sunday. We must think Christianly all
the time. How does this happen?

     The Psalmist of chapter 119 in the Bible understood the Word of the Lord brings guidance. Solomon understood the value of the wisdom of the Lord and Paul would reason from the Scriptures for days. God has given us the ability with the power of the Holy Spirit to discern matters by using our mind. So when a Christian is playing a song like “Pumped Up Kicks” we ought to ask good questions, for example what the song they are singing means? How does it value life in the eyes of God? How can it further
the gospel? We should engage the culture in such a way as to leave the
fragrance of Christ. The way to begin this process is to quit listening and
watching mindlessly and begin to think Christianly.

“See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to elementary principle of the world, rather than according to Christ.” Colossians 2:8