Not much is known of him, except that he must have been a reader of ancient law, and evidently thought so highly of it that he wrote his own personal pledge-song to mark his commitment. That much we can say about Steve Croft, and how he expressed his vow to God by saying these unusual words -- “Pierce My Ear”. By giving the song’s title only a cursory exam, someone might assume that Steve was asking for some piece of elegant embroidery, something that would make others admire his taste in jewelry (like the earring shown here). After all, if one goes to the trouble of intentionally punching a hole in a body part, make certain that what you put there really makes a statement! But, Steve was apparently more concerned about making a statement with his heart, than with his lobes. See if you agree, after reading some more.
Steve Croft was reading his bible and focusing on something God spoke to Moses, which he was to pass along to Hebrew refugees who had fled from Egypt long ago. This was from a story 3,400 years old, so why did Steve think this was relevant in 1980, when he wrote some words to commemorate what God told Moses? Moreover, look at the context of the story (in Exodus 21:5-6), and decide for yourself ‘Do I want to be another person’s slave for life’? What was Steve thinking?! My thoughts, and probably yours too, are skewed when thinking about slavery, with repugnant images of this cultural practice in mind. We think of slavery as a relic, best left on the ash heap of history. And yet, there were some who chose slavery, because the master was benevolent. That’s what God told Moses here. So, if I actually find my life enriched by my master, I am eager to make a lifelong commitment to him; an ear-piercing solemnizes the occasion, at a doorpost where an awl finishes the act of physically marking my choice. With this context, we can deduce that two things were true about Steve, even if we know nothing else about the circumstances of his life at the time: He thought God was benevolent, and there was something in his life that he thought was worth surrendering to this God. In verse 1, Steve repeated back to God the words spoken by God to Moses all those centuries ago – I’ll do this, even to the point of my ear lobe being pierced. In verse 2, Steve shares the ‘why’ of his decision – that he’d been bought by this same God with divine blood, an astonishing act that he could not ignore. Can anyone adequately explain the ‘why’ of God’s ransom payment for us? Steve doesn’t try, but perhaps we can safely guess that this God had already blessed him – bestowed benevolence, even physically. Perhaps Steve had concluded that the surrender of some things only made sense, because this God is so capable of making one’s cup overflow with good things. Surrender is also a rational choice if my past includes a lot of anguish because of my own missteps. Was that true of Steve, also? ‘God, I lay these terrible mistakes at your feet in confession, and trust that you can re-make my life when I submit to you completely, as your servant’. Could those have been the words behind Steve’s prayer-poem in 1980?
Steve Croft was feeling submissive, perhaps in the most complete sense that he’d ever experienced. Perhaps he had also just discovered something about freedom and choice. How valuable is freedom, if I make choices in my own ignorance that ultimately bring pain? On the other hand, how does it feel to serve someone who guides all of my decisions, and who ultimately brings me joy in prodigious quantity? Does it really register when I read that He’s making a place for me up where He’s living (John 14:2)? This is a God of prodigious, not meagerly things. So, I do the calculus, and decide that I’m OK being the servant of this kind of God. Steve probably did the same. How about you?
The only source for the story is the Exodus 21:5-6 bible passage.
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