Lyrical Review: WANAJUA by Mwenyehaki ft Pitson

This song reminds me of an earlier post written on a related subject, Volunteers in Hell, in which I noted that “God doesn’t send people to hell, they volunteer.” Woe to the man who has grown up hearing the law of God, and the call of the Gospel, but still chooses to ignore it. Here’s a YouTube link to the song in-case you haven’t already listened to it.

The first verse reminds those who grew up in a Christian subculture, attending Sunday School and constantly being bombarded by Christian messages; that they have no excuse for ignoring God. They cannot claim ignorance. The song is in Swahili, so, here’s (my best effort at) an English translation:

Back when they were little children, being taken to church by their mother. In Sunday school, being taught all the traditions.

Reciting memory verses, there at the altar. They are now hooligans… where are the priests?

Those who used to recite memory verses, there at the altar. They are hooligans now hooligans, where are the priests?

Reading God’s Word and forgetting it is like looking in the mirror and forgetting how you look.

The chorus is brief for clarity, repetitive for emphasis, and straightforward, reiterating the core message of the song: that people do know about God, they simply choose to ignore Him:

They know, they just ignore it.

They know You, they just ignore You.

The second verse takes us to an all too familiar scene, especially in Nairobi – street preachers:

On the street, waiting for the bus. At the holding cell waiting for the judge, there’s always someone nearby, telling them these things.

In the market, while they’re buying and selling, there’s always a preacher telling them the truth.

They always dismiss him as a conman who simply wants their offering,

They have forgotten that this is God’s Word being spoken through His prophets.

Reading God’s Word and forgetting it is like looking in the mirror and forgetting how you look.

It is indeed true that many of the “bus preachers” and street preachers are only out to get money from the people, but most of these guys do actually preach the truth. But just as Paul says to the Philippians, the motives of the preacher do not necessarily disqualify his message. “But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice.” (Philippians 1:18) This does not mean that what those con-men preachers are doing is right, but what they preach often is. We are simply not excused from paying attention to them.

Finally, the bridge of the song goes through a list of cultural expressions and moral behaviors that are known to be sinful and against God’s standards of holiness, showing that people continue to do these things despite their knowledge of the sin in their actions.

When they wear mini-skirts… When they snatch purses from women… When he cheats on both Sarah and Betty…. When they drink almost a whole crate of beer… When they stagger… When they removes the dagger… when they pull the trigger… to commit murder… They know what they are doing. They know that it is wrong.

This song is a timely call and reminder that we will be judged by what we know. It is a reminder that many of us will not be able to claim ignorance on judgment day. It is also a reminder of the blinding effect of sin. To the unbeliever, the song is a call to seriously consider the call of the Gospel. To those who claim to be Christians, the song is a call to seriously consider the implications of that Gospel in our lives. Do we live out what we believe? Do we know what we ought to do, but still quench the Spirit and follow our own wicked ways?

“Since the creation of the world God’s invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.” [Romans 1:20]

Cornell