Who's Your Boogie Man?

In the 1970's a musical group named K.C. and the Sunshine Band recorded a song that was extremely popular called, "I'm Your Boogie Man". The tune came into my head recently and stayed in there long enough to chase out the thought, Who is this Boogie Man? Yeah, I know. If I can remember the tune, I am close to being a relic of antiquity. I'm telling my age. But the older I get, the more I come to terms with life. Telling my age is just another thing I'm not afraid of anymore. But the "boogie man" is still a concept of my consciousness that needs to be addressed. The lyrics of this song are such that I wonder why people of my generation ever gave it a serious hearing. Well...I've just thought through that notion and answered the question for myself. We've never been the most clearest of thinkers. A few of these lyrics demonstrates that when language is used in general (rather than specific) terms, it leaves room for the mind to wonder...and wander. Check out some of the lyrics: I'm your Boogie Man... that's what I am...I'm here to do... whatever I can. What does that really say?? So here's the leftover thought, which came out of my head at nearly the speed of light, as far as I can tell. The "boogie man" concept seems to be inherent in nearly every culture. Almost everyone seems to have grown up with the knowledge that there really is a boogie man. At least in our minds. So, if he is really there, what does he really want??
The culture in which I grew up was primarily small town and rural. We altered the boogie man's pronunciation, and even the spelling. Our Boogie Man was called the Booger Man. Boogers are boogie terrorists. In my time, I've heard tell of some mighty scary boogers! Anyway, as children, we were cautioned and counseled (politically correct terminology for threatened and terrorized) to behave ourselves or the booger man would come and get us. We were never told what he would do when he got us or where he would take us. That part was left for the imagination. For a young mind to be so soon a-wondering about such things and a-wandering through life was pretty scary. Further looking into some of this song's lyrics can give one the impression that this boogie man is there to do whatever he could to please the listener. Kind of like the boogie man was some sort of genie, your-wish-is-my-command sort of thing. He was there to serve whoever is listening to the song. This is a rather seductive suggestion. Well, my booger man philosophical worldview goes something like this. The booger man is in our earliest memories because he is real. We are born with that reality in place. And he is not there in our lives to serve us. He is there to be served. His presence is not there as a deterrent for bad behavior...he is the source and originator of bad behavior. He dominates our lives because he is a strongman, who inhabits our thinking and intends to control our behavior. He is not our friend. He is our enemy. And he is the enemy of God. The Booger Man is the devil. And it is his intention to destroy our lives by holding us captive. Wow. If that was the end of the story, it would be sadder than sad. But consider Jesus. He has hope for this grim reality. The authority of Jesus is constantly being questioned. Always has been. But questioning authority does not change the truth. Jesus is ultimate authority. He is stronger than the strongman. He's the booger man's booger man! And on one occasion He had this to say: "But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. Or how can anyone enter the strong man's house and carry off his property, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house." (Matthew 12:28-29) Jesus, God in the flesh, has come to destroy the works of the devil. The kingdom of God has come upon me when I fear God more than I fear the booger man.