Joanna Thomas tells how a track by Margaret Becker impacted her life.

Margaret Becker

There have been times in my life when I've been acutely aware of what it means to be 'salt and light'. Like the time I entered a crowded room at college and had a freaky sensation, as I realised I was the only one who didn't take drugs in my spare time. (I was the one who's straight all of the time.) Then I completely blew my cover by scowling my way through some blasphemous joke while the others sniggered in amusement.

It's not always easy going against the flow, being a 'rebel for Jesus'. It's a daily challenge. That's why I just love it when I come across a 'real beauty' of a song like Margaret Becker's "Streets Of Innocence" tucked away at the end of her album 'The Reckoning'. There's been loads of times that I've blasted the sound of her voice through the airways, relieved to find a sister who values what is so often 'crassed' by society.

To be morally clean is culturally bizarre. You're a freak for valuing what is 'good and pure'. By keeping your act clean though it's sometimes difficult relating to the scenes you find yourself in. If you're like me, you don't want to make your fellow human beings cringe. To turn them off God, by bombarding them with some biblical truth, in an insensitive way. There's a tendency to duck down and hide your faith, I know I do it all the time.

This song excites me because it helps me realise it's not what we do, so much as what we are. By quietly living our lives in our distinct Christian way, we are affecting the' lives, of folk around us, in a powerful way. Becker makes it clear in her lyrics that what we have been given in our faith is so priceless; 'the holy gold of innocence'.

My daily life gets crowded with all kinds of temptations and I stress unnecessarily down the rough road of sin. It's amazing how easy it is to dismiss what Jesus did on the cross, pass it off; after all we hear it all the time. The lyrics of the song have so often helped me focus on the freedom that holiness brings. Of course we can't create holiness, it's a gift imparted by God. Just to receive forgiveness and Christ's cleansing power; is worth more than all the world.

"Well listen you, you can keep your money/Now you, you can keep your pride/I don't need nothing/'/cause I'll be living rich tonight."

I don't to give the impression that I'm this glistening advertisement for Jesus, far from it. I'm learning all the time to walk down the 'streets of innocence'. The one thing I do know is God's there all the time, helping me along, providing me with escape routes, ways to avoid making mistakes. Bit by bit I'm learning new ways to express my faith and share the love of God with others. It would be good to think that when people take a sneaky look at my life, that they see what God has done to make me clean.

"Tonight I'll sleep like a baby/On the bed of no regrets."

It is good to be strong in your identity as a Christian. So what if you're different, the world's full of all kinds of colourful people. I'm just grateful that I don't have to carry all that baggage I had before I met the Lord. It gives me a buzz just to know all my sins are forgiven. Thanks Lord!

"Tonight I'll count my blessings/Contemplate the treasure of the meek/Like the peace that passes understanding/The joy that keeps my soul."

STREETS OF INNOCENCE
Margaret Becker/David Martin

Innocence, innocence
Innocence, innocence
Innocence, innocence
Innocence, innocence
In innocence, in innocence
In innocence, in innocence

Tonight I'll sleep like a baby
On the bed of no regrets
Well listen, you, you can have your money
Now you, you can keep your pride
I don't need nothing
'Cause I'll be living rich tonight
In innocence, in innocence
In innocence, in innocence

Tonight I will count my blessings
Contemplate the treasure of the meek
Like the peace that passes understanding
The joy that keeps my soul
Well I, I am planning
On taking home the holy gold of Innocence, of
Innocence Of innocence,
of innocence
(Dancing down the streets of) innocence,
Of innocence
Of innocence, of innocence

Resistance, resistance
I turn the other cheek
Well, freedom, freedom
You will find me
Dancing in the streets of
Innocence, of innocence
Of innocence, of innocence
(Dancing down the streets of) innocence,
of innocence
Of innocence, of innocence

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.