When You’re (not) A Rebel!

In 1985, the year I graduated from A.J. Dimond High School, a SoCal band called the Altar Boys released their sophomore album; When You’re a Rebel. The band of brothers & sisters I ran around with loved it!

That's the way it is

When you're a Rebel! 

the world is just so 

different from you
When you're a Rebel! 

they don't understand 

the things you do
When you're a Rebel! 

you got to make a stand
Cause we're getting

close to the end
Yea gotta say it like it is man
When you're a rebel!

The thing is, I wasn’t a rebel - not really. Don’t get me wrong, there was tons of stuff I didn’t want to do; clean dishes, go to bed at a decent hour, eat in a healthy manner, exercise, etc. I was fairly consistent in my rebellion against those things and a few others. But when it came to taking a stand against things right in front of me that weren’t right…rebel fail. The fact that I had no tattoo or piercings didn’t improve my rebel rep. I did have a leather jacket, a black trench coat w/ matching bandanas, bolo ties & a mullet - but it didn’t take. 

I’ve been accused by friends of taking too many trips down “Memory Lane” (thank you, Uncle Terry), especially where music is concerned. Guilty, but happily so. Mostly. Sometimes that trip reminds me of what I aspired to, but missed.

In addition to the music of my youth, there was the message. Much of it informed my worldview and the way I wanted to live. The rebel in the Altar Boys tune was straight-laced me - at least, I knew I was born to be that rebel with a cause.

Another writer I “met” in my younger days - Eugene Peterson - nailed that aspiration on its proverbial head, when he paraphrased the Apostle Paul’s words this way; 

Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of 

you, develops well-formed 

maturity in you.

-Romans 12:2 (The Message)

I’m currently reading a biography of his life. While he didn’t have piercings (as far as I know), he did sport a tattoo. Okay, it was a mouse, but still. Ink is ink, right? Regardless of how tough he did or didn’t look, he definitely achieved rebel status - as defined by scripture - in his lifetime. He reached the destination of his “long obedience in the same direction” three years ago, last month. The only culture to which he desired conformity in his life on this planet was the culture of the Kingdom of God. Sometimes that meant rebelling against popular voices in his own Christian community. Rebels often “stand alone” (thanks, Mike Stand).

As this is a blog and not a book, I’ll bring this to a conclusion…in good time.

But first, I want to say this; The more things change - often - the more they stay the same. I’m still a horrible rebel. I can talk the talk and even preach the preach. The rebel yell comes naturally. It’s the rebel walk I find difficult. 

Last week, I was able to meet some of the rebels I’ve admired for years, including Daniel Smith of Danielson Famile [sic] and the good dude pictured below - the aforethanked Mike Stand of the aforementioned Altar Boys (thanks, JJT). FYI: That’s Chris Brigandi of The Lifters and Wild Blue Yonder unintentionally bombing in the background - very cool!

Thirty-six years after his lyrics - and the way he expressed them - challenged me to go the rebel way, Stand still takes his. When he’s not standing tall, he’s walkin’ the walk. His style/look probably seems rough to some. In truth, he’s one of the nicest and most soft-spoken rebels I’ve had the pleasure of meeting. 

All of that leads me to all of this;

• I follow The Rebel. 
• I still want to achieve rebel status, in the tradition of Stand, Terry Taylor, John Joseph Thompson (of True Tunes), Eugene Peterson, the Apostle Paul and other rebel writers, who’ve influenced & inspired my life. 
• When I turn 54 (maybe even -  possibly, hopefully, prayerfully - in the next 10 days) I will endeavor to rebelhood for the remainder of my life.
• I’m going to seriously consider gettin’ tatted-up on my 60th. And by tatted-up, I mean one (1) tattoo (and it won’t be a mouse - not that there’s anything wrong with that).
• An 80s song from T Bone Burnett - a very tall rebel - includes the line; “And that did it. He began his rebellion late.” Same.

The graphic for The Chosen paints a thousand+ words on this topic;

This won’t be the ink I get. Still, I’d love for it to accurately illustrate my life.

U2?