Some Thoughts on my brother, Kanye West
Kanye West has caused quite a stir that has a lot of different people talking about his path to faith.
Outside the church, looking in, critics write articles about how Kanye is looking to pander to white evangelicals or looking to con his way into a new identity. From the pews, some ask if his conversion story is real or how to think about a celebrity with his reputation coming to faith with many finding great hope with his story.
Why does his story throw us for a loop? Because humans hate risk. This is why we so often find ourselves in routines, taking the same route to work, communing with the same friends. Especially in things that affect big parts of our lives likes finances or vocation, we almost always seek stability.
When things are stable, we see ourselves in a spot of control. This spot can be comforting as we seek shelter from things that might cause dissidence in our lives. Facebook and Instagram algorithms do this for us now, placing things in front of us that the code says we will like, while showing us less of what we don’t want to see.
I think for many, Kanye forces us out of our comfort zone, whether that’s politically, musically, stylistically, culturally, or religiously, and with this shift comes criticism. Those in the church maybe listening to his previous albums for the first time or knowing his reputation might ask “him, Lord?” Those who have followed his roller coaster through different albums that have felt like phases, and maybe are being introduced to faith for the first time, ask if this his just his identity for this album.
Scripture can bring some clarity to this situation.
In Luke 15, the parable of the prodigal son reminds us of God’s heart for us. After sinning against his father and squandering his inheritance, the son returns ready to beg for a servant’s spot on his father’s land. However, before he can speak, the son is embraced by his father and welcomed with a feast. Meanwhile the older brother grumbles and asks why a party is being thrown for his younger brother who has desecrated the family name and has sinned so much.
For me and my brothers and sisters in Christ, the father’s answer to the older son brings truth. “Son, you are always with me, and all this is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.” (Luke 15: 31–32 ESV) We are to celebrate the new-found faith of another, not ask how it affects our lives. We cannot control the outcomes of his conversion or his journey, but we can trust in a God that we know is Good.
Kanye is young in faith and may stumble along his path. That’s okay. As for me, I will continue to pray for his continued walk with Christ, knowing that he is being discipled by a faithful pastor from California who I hope will continue to speak into Kanye’s spiritual formation and encourage him in spiritual disciplines. And let us not forget that sometime or another, it is was us in the role of the younger brother.
It takes some risk and vulnerability to run out to others with open arms not knowing if they will meet our expectations. I think it’s a humbling reminder that while some people’s faults are more public than our own, that does not make them more or less to God than our most private sins.
In Hands On, Kanye raps “Said I’m finna do a gospel album, What have you been hearin’ from the Christians? They’ll be the first one to judge me” in multiple verses. He seems to anticipate a push back.
I want to prove Kanye wrong. I hope that the church can welcome Kanye well. We do not need to have our life all together to come to Christ and Kanye does not need to have every doctrine memorized before speaking about his faith.
God often uses unlikely heroes for his kingdom. Saul turned Paul was a persecutor before he was a proclaimer of Christ. Simon Peter cut off someone’s ear yet became a foundation of Christ’s church. Who am I to say who God can use to bring glory to his kingdom?
What each person can do, is pray. Pray for Kanye. Pray for his family. Pray for those around him and who listen to his music. And pray for willing heart to those do not necessarily fit our mold. It takes some risk but there’s enough grace for all of us.
