Is A Second Chance Needed?

"Second Chance" - ShineDown

My eyes are open wide
And by the way, I made it
Through the day
I watched the world outside
By the way, I'm leaving out
Today

I just saw Hayley's comet
She waved
Said why you always running
In place?
Even the man in the
Moon disappeared
Somewhere in the
Stratosphere

Tell my mother,
Tell my father
I've done the best I can
To make them realize
This is my life
I hope they understand
I'm not angry, I'm just saying...
Sometimes goodbye
Is a second chance

Please don't cry
One tear for me
I'm not afraid of
What I have to say
This is my one and
Only voice
So listen close, it's
Only for today

---Actual Song - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xo_rKVIvIg&feature=related

To start off, don’t think I hate or love this song, I’m more of in the middle on this one, however I do strongly feel that lyrics can touch someone without them knowing is extremely dangerous ways sometimes. Because of this, I’m going to analyze these lyrics, and try to portray my thoughts on certain issues to you, the reader.

My eyes are open wide
And by the way, I made it
Through the day
I watched the world outside
By the way, I'm leaving out
Today

I think I can safely say that we have all had days like this before. Life is going by, you didn’t think you could possibly make it through the sixteen hours that day, and then at the end when it finally dawned on you that you had, there was this feeling deep inside of, “Wow. That just happened.” In this instance though, and looking at the rest of the lyrics, it seems that what this, I will simply refer to him as young man, is actually talking about, is a day in which his parents were trying to get him to do certain things, and he didn’t appreciate it.

I just saw Hayley's comet
She waved
Said why you always running
In place?
Even the man in the
Moon disappeared
Somewhere in the
Stratosphere

This bridge hardly has ever made sense to me. I believe what he is saying is that at some point, as if he were standing outside starring at the sky, things simply didn’t seem right. His life has been turned completely upside down. Hayley’s comet is asking him why he isn’t going anywhere in life, and the man in the moon is gone. All this to say that life could be better.

Tell my mother,
Tell my father
I've done the best I can
To make them realize
This is my life
I hope they understand
I'm not angry, I'm just saying...
Sometimes goodbye
Is a second chance

Here in lies the best part of this entire song. When I first heard the beginning three lines of the chorus I was thinking, “Oh, ok, so he’s doing the best he can, his parents are pushing him to much.” But then what happens? He says, “To make them REALIZE, this is MY life.” I ask you, what is wrong with this? A whole lot is wrong with this. Our generation is a generation of rebels. This song portrays the rebel society so perfectly. You have this young man, who is obviously young enough to still be under his parent’s protection and guidance. And now he is going to run away (as the rest of the chorus implies) for the simple reason that his parents can’t seem to understand that this is HIS life.

The chorus goes on to say that this young man isn’t angry, but that this goodbye is just a second chance. I ask you, is a second chance needed? I regret to say that there have been many times in my life in which I have felt that I should just run away because my parents don’t understand me, and I can’t live my life with how my parents treat me, and other such lies. However, those were LIES. As teens we seem to take the kind instruction of our parents and turn it into more didactic instruction. “Excessive” instruction. We say to ourselves, “They are doing too much! I want to be left alone!” What would happen if our parents simply left us alone for a while? The final remnants of this already broken generation would fall to pieces. Brothers and sisters, we’re just as inherently sinful as the rest of our world! A second chance is not needed, what’s needed is for our hearts to be turned toward our parents. They are the wise ones, they love us, they want the best for us. For now, this is not my life. This is their life, and it is my job to make the best of it.

The second verse is rather interesting, simply stating that he only has one voice, so his parents must listen to him closely. I suppose this young man believes that rather than taking the time to listen to his parents, his parents should take the time to listen to him. Yes, there are times when you need to be heard out, but when he’s trying to run away because it is supposedly his life, is when his parents need to start talking to him.

What does the Bible have to say about this?

I’m sure we all know this one-
Exodus 20:12 "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.

What about this one? Who wants to make your parents “realize” anything if this is on the line?
Matthew 15:4 For God commanded, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.'

When honoring our parents is the first commandment with a promise, why not honor them? Yes, easier said than done, but that is only because the devil doesn’t want us to honor them. God clearly states that if we honor our father and mother, (meaning, if we do ask they ask, and do not argue with them), that our days will be long in the land. We will be blessed.

I urge you, think about it, pray about it, it isn’t an easy thing to do, just honoring your parents. It’s hard, I understand that. However, it’s not impossible.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

-Your brother in Christ