After a couple of crazy weeks of travel, on July 1st I was one of the lucky few (around 64,000…) to see Taylor Swift live during the Cincinnati stop on her Eras tour! My long-time bestie Noelle invited me way back in November while she was already waiting in the pre-order queue, and we got the cheapest tickets available, which landed us just a few rows from the back in the infamous nosebleeds. It was crazy loud, extremely packed, and possibly the biggest event I’ve ever attended, plus the music and effects were amazing!! Besides just being an all-around fun experience, witnessing some next-level commitment from Taylor’s followers got me thinking about and questioning how committed I am as a follower of Jesus. These fans were over-the-top in showing support and dedication for this one-day event, swooning over a celebrity most of them will never meet. How much more should I be willing to go all out to worship, serve, and grow close with my Creator? I love how God uses our life experiences to get us thinking about His big picture!
When we arrived in Cincinnati, we took a fan bus with other concertgoers to the stadium, where we received light-up bracelets and took a long hike up the winding ramps, following the crowd up, up, up until we reached our zone. Many of the other fans had been enjoying food, activities, and music at the Taylor Swift-themed block party just outside the stadium for hours, building anticipation for the night to come, so the crowd was buzzing with a palpable excitement. Although Noelle and I both donned cute summery dresses for the occasion, we were among the most underdressed of the whole crowd! Fans streamed into the stadium in costumes representing different songs, albums, and eras from Taylor’s 17-year music career. These fans didn’t just want to be in Taylor’s presence, they wanted to look the part for the one-of-a-kind concert experience they’d been anticipating for months!
Almost everyone was already in their spot when the opener began an hour early to avoid the storms on the radar. Over the next 3+ hours, the audience passionately belted out lyrics from every era and stood unwaveringly in the sticky heat, craning their necks just to see Taylor a little better. We didn’t hear anyone complaining about the long lines, the heat, the stairs, the uncomfortable outfits, or even the view from the nosebleeds. Besides that, I was the only one I could see who had to Google lyrics to some of her more recent songs–it seemed like everyone else knew every word by heart!
As I stood among the crowd and while reflecting on the concert since, I just thought how interesting it was that people would go to such lengths to flood the stadium for a one-night experience–Taylor Swift in concert!!–while we are often willing to sacrifice so much less to serve and be near a God that is worth infinitely more. While I’m not the most committed Swiftie and even felt a little out of place being there, I thought to myself that I do want to live out this level of commitment when it comes to my walk with God. I’d like to be as familiar with God’s word and be able to repeat His words with as much conviction as those girls had with every single song at the concert. Just like many guests sacrificed time, energy, money, and comfort to be there, we’re also called to make personal sacrifices of anything that would get in the way of our relationship with God and our ability to love others in His name. In return we get so much more than a few hours of fun; as committed followers of Jesus, we are promised perfect love, lasting purpose, deep peace, endless joy, and eternal life with the one who created us and who loves us most. So much better than a celebrity on a distant stage, God chooses to enter into our messy lives and love us up close and personally, calling us His friends, His children, even His beloved. No one is more worthy of our worship and commitment.
You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.
Revelation 4:11
We realized after the concert that there were even more Swifties gathered outside who weren’t able to snag a seat in the stadium but were content to sing along from their lawn chairs, grateful just to be near the action! It reminded me of people in the Bible like Zacchaeus or the paralyzed man who went to great lengths just to get close to Jesus, either out of curiosity wanting to learn more about Him or coming in faith to ask for healing. I imagine during the Sermon on the Mount with a crowd of 5,000 people listening in, not everyone could hear Jesus’s words plainly–but they were itching to be near Him. In our everyday walk with God, are we sitting back, content with where we are, or are we climbing the nearest tree just to try and see him better? The Bible gives us a promise to hold onto as we seek Him:
Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.
James 4:8a
Throughout this tour, Swifties have made headlines both positively and negatively for their dedication and enthusiasm, but one thing is for sure–they haven’t gone unnoticed. In the street outside the stadium, it was easy to tell the Swifties apart from the bystanders just based on how they were dressed. Are we living in a way that makes it obvious we’ve been transformed by the Gospel, that makes us recognizable as Jesus’s followers? We are absolutely called to stay humble and never let our good works or reputation serve to bring us glory (Matthew 6:2-6). However, living according to God’s Word makes us stand out: Jesus says that “everyone will know that [we] are [His] disciples, if [we] love one another” (John 13:35) and that we are to be the light of the world, a city on a hill that can’t be hidden. When we follow God’s design for our lives, our values, priorities, relationships, and how we spend our time and money will set us apart as a testimony of the life-changing purpose and extravagant love Jesus offers. Jesus compels us in the Sermon on the Mount to “let your light shine before others, than they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). The crowd in attendance at the concert was a huge testament to Taylor’s music and brand; in the same way, our conduct should be a testament to the transformative nature of the Gospel as we go about our everyday lives.
The fans participating in Taylor’s tour have garnered the world’s attention with their collective excitement, commitment, and investment in her music and brand. But so much better than a distant celebrity with an agenda focused on the temporary, we have a God with an eternal mission who stepped off the stage and into the crowd to be near us. He steps in to comfort us when we are hurting, to speak life into our hearts, to give us an identity as an invaluable child of God, and to grow and sanctify us through everyday circumstances. And infinitely more than any celebrity we may follow, He is so worthy of our worship and praise! As His followers, it seems only fitting that we would live out a love, obedience, and enthusiasm for the Gospel that reflect His infinite worth. If this sounds like a tall order…stay tuned for a part 2 on how we can cultivate this level of commitment in our walk with God!
I will exalt you, my God the King, I will praise your name for ever and ever…Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; His greatness no one can fathom.
Psalm 145:1,3
steadymysteps 
Good job!
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