Only when my 10-year-old precious daughter Esther chided her for wanting to hear a song that starts with ‘Do you ever feel like a plastic bag?’ did it pique my interest.

Listening to ‘Fireworks’ by Katy Perry reminded me of a time when my mission was counseling broken hearts with the love of Christ.

With that mission in mind, I wrote 31 problem-solution poems or lyrics and called them Christian rap because they used to rhyme and because it piqued the interest of some of my African-American coworkers in those days, who would be curious and read them because an Indian employee called them rap. In the process, they were touched by the love of Christ.

One employee came to me and told me that he was prevented from committing suicide after reading one of the poems and prayer.

Each of the poems starts with problem questions that an individual may be facing and the solutions found in Christ.

Perry’s lyrics start out with 3 powerful questions:

“Do you ever feel like a plastic bag drifting through the wind, wanting to start again?

“Do you ever feel, feel so paper thin like a house of cards, one blow from cavin’?

“Do you ever feel already buried deep?”

Then she asks them, ‘Do you know there’s still a chance for you?’

That question is very powerful because Perry wants her listeners to realize no matter how they are feeling, they need not let those 3 questions alone define them.

Why?

Because she sings,

 ‘Cause there is a spark in you.

You just gotta ignite the light.

And let it shine.’

Perry has good intentions, but we cannot do it on our own.

This reminds me of Jesus saying, “I AM the Light of the world. So if you follow me, you won't be stumbling through the darkness but living light will flood your path.” (John 8:12, TLB)

The spark comes from the Lord igniting the light in you where there is darkness.

Once that light is ignited, we should not hide it but let it shine.

“You are the world’s light--- a city on a hill, glowing in the night for all to see. Don’t hide your light! Let it shine for all; let your good deeds glow for all to see, so that they will praise your heavenly Father.” (Matthew 5:15-16, TLB)

It is very interesting that Perry goes on to say, ‘Baby, you are a firework.’

This is very significant because a firework is dormant until it has a spark. Once it is sparked, it awes those who watch the fireworks.

In this instance, ‘Baby, you are a firework’ is a very uplifting statement to build up the person in 3 ways who is down:

‘Come on, show ‘em what you’re worth’

‘As you shoot across the sky’

‘Come on let your colors burst’

Perry has the right concept because people are usually amazed by fireworks that shoot across the sky in their colorful bursts.

Furthermore, to hear,

“You don’t have to feel like a waste of space,

You’re original, cannot be replaced

If you only knew what the future holds

After a hurricane comes the rainbow

Maybe a reason why all the doors are closed

So you could open one that leads you to the perfect road

Like a lightning bolt, your heart will glow

And when it’s time you will know”,

Perry is making a powerful speech through lyrics.

With those lyrics, Perry acts like a counselor in song to those who are dejected, rejected, neglected, and ejected.

Let us analyze each of the 7 statements inductively using the observation, interpretation, and application method.

Point 1:

'You don’t have to feel like a waste of space.'

This is very significant because Perry is letting her listeners know that they have value no matter what negative thoughts they are having.

As an application, it helps to remember what the Bible promise in Isaiah 43:1-4  says,

“But now the Lord who created you, O Israel, says: Don’t be afraid, for I have ransomed you; I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up—the flames will not consume you. But now the Lord who created you, O Israel, says: Don’t be afraid, for I have ransomed you; I have called you by name; you are mine. For I am the Lord your God, your Savior, the Holy One of Israel.” (Isaiah 43:1-3a, TLB)

If that is not encouraging enough, point 2 encourages more.

Point 2: 'You’re original, cannot be replaced.'

This is very significant because it reminds us that each of us is uniquely made and has special value.

The Psalmist says to the Lord, “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit them together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! It is amazing to think about. Your workmanship is marvelous—and how well I know it. You were there while I was being formed in utter seclusion! You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Every day was recorded in your book! How precious it is, Lord, to realize that you are thinking about me constantly! I can’t even count how many times a day your thoughts turn toward me. And when I waken in the morning, you are still thinking about me.” (Psalm 139:13-18, TLB)

This leads me to point 3:

Point 3:

'If only you knew what the future holds.'

This is very significant because no matter what is happening in the present, we cannot know what blessings the future holds.

This reminds me of Jeremiah 29:11

“For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11, NIV)

This leads me to Points 4-6:

'After a hurricane comes the rainbow

Maybe a reason why all the roads are closed

So you could open one that leads you to the perfect road.'

These points are very significant because we know what damage a hurricane can do, but in the end, a rainbow reminds us about God’s covenant of promise.

“And I seal this promise with this sign; I have placed my rainbow in the clouds as a sign of my promise until the end of time, to you and all the earth. When I send clouds over the earth, the rainbow will be seen in the clouds, and I will remember my promise to you and to every being, that never again will the floods come and destroy all life. For I will see the rainbow in the cloud and remember my eternal promise to every living being on earth.” (Genesis 9:12-15, TLB)

When all the roads are closed, it can be frustrating because we cannot get to our destination.

But what if the Lord is leading us to the perfect road that can only be taken when all the other roads are closed?

Then, we can go where we need to go.

Perry is right about the perfect road.

 But, I believe it is through Christ.

“And we know that all that happens [even all closed doors] to us is working for our good if we love God and are fitting into his plans.” (Rom 8:28, TLB)

When I was courting my precious Leela, she would tell me that even if the Lord closes one door, He will open a better door for us. This is true even in relationships. I had a broken relationship that was painful for me, but the LORD gave me Chandraleela three years later.

When Perry sings, “Like a lightning bolt your heart will glow. When it is time you will know”, she is connecting perfect road to the glow of the heart.

Now, Perry is encouraging those who are down to make an impact and awe those who watch them, just like fireworks.

I believe the perfect road is the road that the Lord wants to lead you on filled with light.

“You are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago.” (Isaiah 25:1, TLB)

“From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth.” (Psalm 50:2, TLB)

“For He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9, TLB)

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17, TLB)

Perry is right that you can show them that you are even brighter than the moon, moon, moon.

Why?

With the Lord, you can be brighter than the moon, moon, moon because He has made you.

“When I look up into the night skies and see the work of your fingers—the moon and the stars you have made--- I cannot understand how you can bother with mere puny man, to pay any attention to him! And yet you have made him only a little lower than the angels and placed a crown of glory and honor upon his head.” (Psalm 8:3-5, TLB)

In conclusion, Perry wrote an excellent song in ‘Fireworks’ that can impact people even today, especially when they connect the lyrics to her song to God’s Word, even if she had no intention of that.