You might not have been thinking about totalitarianism, so let me help you change that. I’m told Jordan Peterson (Canadian psychologist, author and speaker) said that the antithesis of totalitarianism is — wait for it — play. If what he says is right, then I’m pleased to be able to offer this song to help us push back against totalitarianism. If you are game to join in on the play, then please give “Our Heavenly Father” (a.k.a. “Birdie Song”) a sing-along listen, then come back and we will talk about totalitarianism — and not just the kind we read about in history books and hear about in world news. There are nearer examples we might run into at school, at work — and even at home. In times like these when scary things are happening, we must rise to new levels of antithesis. It is time to stand, see totalitarianism for what it is — and play.

Totalitarianism meets its match

Since we usually come together on these pages to look at “Bible lessons and songs for kids of all ages”, you just might think it is a stretch to talk about play being totalitarianism’s Achilles heel — or for those of you more familiar with the DC Universe than you are with ancient Greek literature, we might say “play is totalitarianism’s kryptonite”. (Being a full-service Bible lesson & song site, if what I said about ancient Greek literature fits your case, then I offer this from quora.com to bring you up to speed — “Homer wrote about Achilles’ heel in his epic poem “The Iliad” as a way to explain the story of how Achilles, a great warrior in the Trojan War, was ultimately defeated. According to the legend, Achilles was invincible except for his heel, which was the one part of his body that was vulnerable to attack.”)

Okay, let’s get back to totalitarianism. We can look up and find a long list of related words which appear to include every political and economic view out there. On this list of related words we find the views we have been taught to condemn and which are associated with the evil most wars we learn about in school were fought to defeat. We also find named in these related words pretty much every political, social and moral view we have been taught to love, cherish, fight and even vote for. It seems everything is somebody’s totalitarianism.

What they all share can be summed up in one word from the long list of related words: “oppression“. Britannica.com says, “In the broadest sense, totalitarianism is characterized by strong central rule that attempts to control and direct all aspects of individual life through coercion and repression.”

Have you noticed anyone or anything out there trying to control individual lives? Any coercion or repression going on? Fear? Intimidation? Attacks on faith and morality? Assaults on our peace and confidence? It is almost as if some enemy out there knows about kryptonite — and about vulnerable heels — and knows what buttons to press to try to control us.

Is there anything we can do to push back against such dark forces — against deliberate efforts by forces we don’t like which seek to direct and control us? Yes, of course! The Lord says —

“Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.”
[Proverbs 4:26]

“Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,…[Ephesians 5:15]

Clearly, we have been given ability to choose who or what we allow to control our lives. Want some good news about available choices? The Lord designed people to thrive at pleasures like tending a lush garden — remember Eden? –, to light up with love, to receive and radiate joy and to be at home with peace, laughter and family. The Lord has made it possible for us to live without fear and without stress. And that stuff Dr. Peterson said about play? That was God’s idea from the very beginning. Play still works to connect us with delights and health and all that is good in God’s creation.

When the Lord is in it

People of all ages are more motivated to engage with things they enjoy than with chores they must complete. That might explain why people often know more about their hobbies than about their work. Something Confucius actually did not say that we know of — but might wish he had — is “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life”. Steve Jobs, founder of Apple, is given credit for saying, “The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it, keep looking. Don’t settle.”

Just in case you are still looking for work you’ll love as Steve Jobs suggests, consider this shortcut to loving what you get to do today, brought to us by Mary Poppins: “To every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. You find the fun and — SNAP — the job’s a game.” Play on!

It is amazing how work and play can trade places. People who love what they do in life get to report in each day to play. Don’t you love when you encounter a person doing the day’s things who has a big grin on his face bubbling up from a happy heart? On the flip side, play can become work. I’ve been at Florida theme parks on hot days and have seen people who invested a lot for this ultimate “play” who looked like they were working awfully hard. Go figure!

When we love the things of the Lord, everything and everyone can be a delight — or at least a fascinating challenge. Colossians 3:16-17 is a wonderful passage that helps us find the Lord’s kind of delight in everything: “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

♫♪ Our Heavenly Father ♫♪

I learned this song “at church” and so far I have found no information on authorship. The only recordings I heard were seriously sweet and — well — goopy, if you ask me. The rendition offered here carries in its performance the delightful musical vandalism that has made this song a joy to me and others who like to laugh and play whenever it is appropriate — and many other times, too. I have learned that such play is in harmony with the Lord’s character. It is a good thing.

In Nehemiah, we read about people that returned from captivity to rebuild Jerusalem. During those days they were learning the Word of God and details of the disobedience to the Lord that had caused their captivity and resulted in the destruction to Jerusalem they had came to repair. As a result — and understandably — the people were moving toward grieving.

But grief was not what the Lord wanted for them.

In chapter 8 of Nehemiah we read, “Then Nehemiah told them, “Go and eat what is rich, drink what is sweet, and send out portions to those who have nothing prepared, since today is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

This record speaks volumes about the kind of delight people through all ages have found as they would live and walk — and play — in the joy of fellowship with One so kind and so good as our Heavenly Father.

God bless you lots
-Dale R.

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Download this song sheet

LYRICS – Our Heavenly Father (Birdie Song)

1. Way up in the sky, the big birdies fly,
While down in the nest, the little birds rest.
With a wing on the left, and a wing on the right,
The dear little birdies sleep all through the night.

Sh-h-h-h-h-h- …. THEY’RE SLEEPING!

2. The bright sun comes up, the dew falls away,
Good morning, good morning the little birds say.
How bright are the flowers, how green are the woods,
Our heavenly Father, how kind and how good.

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