the worst of sinners

His father was a drinker

And his mother cried in bed

Folding John Wayne's T-shirts

When the swingset his his head

The neighbors they adored him

For his humor and his conversation

Look underneath the house there

Finding the few living things

Rotting fast in their sleep of the dead

Twenty-seven people, even more

They were boys with their cars, summer jobs

Oh my God

Are you one of them?

He dressed up like a clown for them

With his face paint white and red

And on his best behavior

In a dark room on the bed he kissed them all

He'd kill ten thousand people

With a sleight of his hand

Running far, running fast to the dead

He took off all their clothes for them

He put a cloth on their lips

Quiet hands, quiet kiss

On the mouth

And in my best behavior

I am really just like him

Look beneath the floorboards 

For the secrets I have hid

Sufjan Stevens, John Wayne Gacy, Jr. 

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"The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.  Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners - of whom I am the worst.  But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life." 

~~ 1 Timothy 1:14-16

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In case anyone is in need of some explanation, here was my point...  Sufjan is grossly detailed in order to accentuate his point that we (humans) are all depraved, fallen, sinful beings.  The lines I have put in bold (And in my best behavior / I am really just like him) are to me the key to understanding his song.  Even when we are acting our best, we are at the core all fallen depraved creatures by our nature.  This wasn't our first nature when Adam and Eve were created, but it is the nature that we have now because of sin.  Don't write this post off because it's scary and disgusting.  The lyrics are quite unsettling, but that's my point.  Our potential as creatures separated from God by sin is scary and disgusting and very, very unsettling.  But that's not the end of the story.  God, the creator of the universe against whom we sin (disobey him), gave us a way out, a hope to change our nature.  Through the death and resurrection of his son Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit, God can change our nature so that we can desire what he desires, love what he loves, and actually (by his power) do things please him. How great is that?? If you don't think that is good news, I'd like to sit down and talk to you about why you don't agree. 

Anyways, let the lyrics unsettle you... but let the verses from 1 Timothy give you hope.  The end.