Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. Colossians 3:16
“In another study, when compared with people who had listened to music with neutral (not particularly prosocial or antisocial) lyrics, people who had listened to music with prosocial lyrics picked up more pencils for an experimenter who pretended to accidentally spill them, were more likely to agree to do further unpaid experiments and spent more time doing them, and gave more money away… Further analysis found that this effect was due to increased interpersonal empathy in the people who had listened to the prosocial lyrics.
Another field experiment suggests that this induction of empathy via music with prosocial lyrics could have real-world effects. In this experiment, while 768 French restaurant customers ate lunch or dinner, they were exposed to either music with prosocial lyrics, neutral lyrics, or the regular music played by the restaurant. Restaurant patrons who had listened to the prosocial music were significantly more likely to leave a tip—and their tips were significantly greater than the other patrons’ tips.”
Summer Allen in “The Science of Generosity” White Paper produced by the Greater Good Science Center.
Boarding a flight for Frankfurt, Germany this afternoon en route to Istanbul, Turkey. I will attend a World Evangelical Alliance conference there. I’ll share more about this event in a few days. For now, I appreciate your prayers for safe travel and peace and protection for my wife whilst I am away.
When the message of Christ dwells in us richly and when we teach and strengthen each other with songs, we grow in gratitude and generosity.
Today’s research shows that “prosocial lyrics have a similar effect. It makes me think of the upcoming Christmas season when cheerful music plays in stores and restaurants.
Undoubtedly, this aims to inspire people to buy gifts for people in their lives to show love with generosity. This stirs me to ponder the lyrics of songs more closely.
For example, a tear of gratitude always forms in the corner of my eye when I sing this part of the song O Holy Night, “He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger.”
I feel the deepest level of empathy in this line. And the lyrics move deeper than prosocial “peace on earth” but a deep feeling that Christ knows my “need” and “weakness.”
What lyrics do you hear in the music you like to play? How might it be encouraging or limiting your generosity? Consider how lyrics might shape your generosity from here.
Enjoy the lyrics to O Holy Night (originally in French by Placide Cappeau) as a bonus today.
O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Saviour’s birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, the night when Christ was born;
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!
Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
O’er the world a star is sweetly gleaming,
Now come the wisemen from out of the Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus lowly manger;
In all our trials born to be our friends.
He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger,
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
His power and glory ever more proclaim!