I'll Become More Undignified Than This!

Undignified by David Crowder Band

I will dance, I will sing to be mad for my King
Nothing Lord is hindering this passion in my soul
I will dance, I will sing to be mad for my King
Nothing Lord is hindering this passion in my soul

And I’ll become even more undignified than this
Some may say it’s foolishness
But I’ll become even more undignified than this
Leave my pride by my side

La la la la la la - hey
La la la la la la - hey
It’s all for you my Lord!

My time down here in Nicaragua has had a significant impact in the areas of spiritual growth and personal life experience. One area where I have seen the Holy Spirit flourish the most is in the realm of worship. With less reservation and more liberation, I am learning to praise our Loving Father and our Utmost Friend in an uninhibited manner.

Through three different observations, I have witnessed the power of becoming foolish before the Lord and among men. The first experience where I have participated in spontaneous worship is at our weekly men’s bible study. About thirty of us regularly meet on Wednesdays and Fridays, and currently we are discussing the book of Romans, The Purpose Driven Life, and how we should glorify God in this life through an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. During our worship time, men have broken out into a dosey doe, dancing arm and arm in a circle from partner to partner. It is a time where men can become boys, and it is a place where we enter into the presence of the Holy Spirit jumping, dancing, and hopping.

Another occurrence where I have seen foolishness break forth is at Hogar Crea, a drug rehabilitation center for struggling addicts. We meet there regularly every Tuesday to build relationships with recovering drug abusers; in hopes to encourage their emotions, invigorate their spirits, and share with them the Gospel of hope. At the end of the night, we sometimes take part in a tradition of participating in their infamous ‘chicken dance’. It is used within the program to humble the participants and to provide a brief moment of energetic idiocy. This dance consists of hopping on one leg, waving your hands behind your back like it’s a tail, and cradling an egg between your leg, which looks more like dribbling an imaginary basketball. We all go around one by one in a circle, doing all the moves to a catchy A Cappella tune that is sung in full-force by all the Nicaraguans. It is a great chance break down our barriers and a prime opportunity to show them the face of Christ in the mist of a silly situation.

The last event where I have observed free-spirit worship is at Restoration Church. This lively and charismatic body of believers leave all their inhibitions at the door. They infectiously raise their hands to song and gyrate their bodies to dance, all for the glory of God. Praising right along side with them, we have even one time busted out white towels and waved them in their air to signify our strength in the Lord and our freedom under His grace. It is a contagious place where folly is given free reign and Christ is exalted above else.

In the Book of 2nd Samuel, it describes the actions of King David when He brought the ark to Jerusalem.

“David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the LORD with all his might, while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouts and the sound of trumpets.

As the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, she despised him in her heart.

They brought the ark of the LORD and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and David sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before the LORD. After he had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD Almighty. Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins to each person in the whole crowd of Israelites, both men and women. And all the people went to their homes.

When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, ‘How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, disrobing in the sight of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!’

David said to Michal, ‘It was before the LORD, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the LORD's people Israel—I will celebrate before the LORD. I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor.’”

As I continue to learn from scripture, events, and other people; I am gaining a better understanding of what praiseful worship can fully become. It will always remain a heart and motive issue between you and God, but at the same time Christ is glorified by our outward expression. So I encourage you to abandon your insecurities of what others may think, and instead become undignified in a worship of foolishness that embraces humility, crushes pride, and extols Jesus Christ.