Whitney Houston was a prolific singer and the only female artist I would willingly admit to listening to. In fact I have The Essential Whitney Houston in my car. I believe that there are very few songs that can match the power of her voice in the song I Have Nothing. Despite my impressions of her as an unbelievable vocalist I must confess to being quite critical of many of the messages that permeated through-out her musical career.
Let me pose one song from her collection as an example. In 1985 Whitney released a self-titled debut album which topped the Billboard chart for fourteen weeks. The sixth and final single from the album was the song Greatest Love Of All (which came 11th in the year-end 1986 Billboard chart). The song, written originally by Michael Masser and Linda Creed, states that "[l]earning to love yourself ... is the greatest love of all":
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This is where the real tragedy of Whitney Houston lies. If she believes what she sings then she has deviated a long way from her Baptist upbringing. We know that life is not about depending upon ourselves but about depending on God. We are not the masters of our own fates nor does learning to love ourselves possess any merit. To the contrary it encourages self-obsession and self-dependence. These are the hallmarks of sinfulness and do not lead to any inner strength. Paul admonishes such behaviour:
"When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise."
(2 Corinthians 10:12 NIV)
Whitney's song is the polar opposite to what David sings about:
"Praise be to the LORD, for he has heard my cry for mercy. The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.
The LORD is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one. Save your people and bless your inheritance; be their shepherd and carry them forever."
(Psalms 28:6-9 NIV)
Our strength does not come from loving ourselves. It is on the cross we depend. It is Jesus' sacrifice that is truly the greatest love of all. It eclipses any love generated by humans. So be careful when you listen to Whitney that you are not taken in by false messages. Her musical legacy is large and incorporates many elements but the truth is not one of them.
