Taste and See

I was having a conversation with a friend this week about music. He said that now that he is older, he listens to more upbeat tunes than he did when he was younger. I’ve heard others say the same thing. I've found it to be true in my own life. The older you get, the more you shy away from the heavy stuff. Meanwhile, younger people seem attracted to music on the darker side. 

I know I'm painting with a broad brush, but let's assume that we look for entertainment that's more hopeful and positive the older we get. If that's true, what could be the explanation? One possibility has to do with experience. The younger we are, the fewer regrets we have. Youth knows little about hardship, pain, injustice, and suffering. As we grow older, we live through various trials and make many mistakes. We hurt people we love. We cave to temptation. We are hit with unforeseeable circumstances that rock our world and bring us to our knees. 

We are curious about things we have not yet experienced, particularly those things that happen to be moving and powerful. Perhaps that's why so many young people are drawn toward music and movies that explore darker themes. They wonder what makes the darkness so forbidden, and they are drawn to it. 

However, those who have already seen the darkness know there is nothing good in it and look for light and peace in their later years. All it takes is an experience of the consequences of sin, and we learn the hard way to shun worldly ways. 

David said, “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!” (Ps. 34:8). He uses two senses—taste and sight—to describe someone who trusts in God. He's talking about full commitment to the Lord. When we talk about “getting a taste” of something, we mean trying a small sample. But David is not talking about trying a sample, moving it around in your mouth, and spitting it out on the ground. He's talking about putting it in your mouth, chewing it up, and swallowing. David knew the Lord. He had a covenant relationship with him. And what did he find when he made a total commitment? He found that the Lord was “good.” 

The darkness is gut wrenching, heartbreaking, disappointing, agonizing. It is anything but good. 

Have you tried to live by leaning on God? If you have, you already know that he is good. He will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5-6). If you haven't, and you are sick of living in darkness, commit your life to the Lord. Try it. You will see that he is good!

Drew Kizer