Inspired by a Noninspirational Song (I Think...)

I have to start out by saying that my mom hates this song. "How dare she call Jesus a slob!" is what my mom said when she heard it. She isn't the only person I know who has said this. I went to prayer meetings with people who found this song exceptionally offensive. I find it sad. I think she sounds like she is aching to believe......and my heart breaks.


Joan Osbourne

If God Was One of Us Lyrics



If God had a name, what would it be (Jesus)
And would you call it to his face
If you were faced with him in all his glory (Yes, but I may be too overwhelmed to speak)
What would you ask if you had just one question (Why do you love me enough to suffer as you did, and die?)

And yeah yeah God is great yeah yeah God is good
yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah

What if God was one of us (Jesus did become one of us)
Just a slob like one of us (if by slob, you mean ordinary person, He did)
Just a stranger on the bus (He walked everywhere, but I am sure He would take a bus if it helped bring someone closer to Him)
Trying to make his way home ("Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.")

If God had a face what would it look like (He wants me to see His face in yours...)
And would you want to see
If seeing meant that you would have to believe
In things like heaven and in Jesus and the saints and all the prophets

And yeah yeah God is great yeah yeah God is good
yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah

What if God was one of us
Just a slob like one of us
Just a stranger on the bus ((Actually, Catholic tradition is filled with stories of saints where Jesus appeared as a poor beggar, or leper, or other stranger in need, reminding us to see His face in each other...)
Trying to make his way home
He's trying to make his way home
Back up to heaven all alone
Nobody calling on the phone (That reminds me, I should talk to Him more in prayer...)
Except for the Pope maybe in Rome (While I am sure the Pope prays, so do many. )

And yeah yeah God is great yeah yeah God is good
yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah

What if God was one of us
Just a slob like one of us
Just a stranger on the bus
Trying to make his way home
Just trying to make his way home
Like a holy rolling stone
Back up to heaven all alone
Just trying to make his way home
Nobody calling on the phone
Except for the Pope maybe in Rome (And a whole bunch of us, who maybe need to call home more often, but we call)

I like the way the girl in the video sings this song better than Joan Osbourne. The girl in this video seems to be to be reflective, maybe even longing for God..


Speaking of the Pope and telephone calls, that reminds me of a joke. I am going to ask ahead of time that my Catholic friends not be offended. So long as we speak through Jesus, it is always a local call.....


Billy Graham went to see the Pope in Rome. While he was waiting, Billy noticed a red phone. As he was ushered in to talk to the Pope, he asked, "What's the red phone for?"

"That's to talk to God," came the reply.

"Really," Billy gasped, "how much does such a call cost - it's an awful long way?"

"$10,000 a minute, but it's well worth it." answered the Pope.

Some weeks later, Billy Graham went to see the Chief Rabbi in Jerusalem. He noticed that he, too, had a red phone. "I don't suppose," asked Billy, "that this phone is to talk to God?"

"Yes it is." came the reply.

"And how much does that cost?" Billy inquired.

"Twenty-five cents a minute," shrugged the chief rabbi.

"How come it's so cheap?" Billy asked, "the Pope has a phone like that and it costs $10,000 a minute!"

"Well," grinned the Chief Rabbi, "From here it's just a local call."