Alexander Hamilton

I wonder if any of you know whose birthday it is today? Well, it would have been his birthday, had this person not died in 1804, and his name was Alexander Hamilton, the American founding father whose name has become well-known recently among fans of musical theatre, due to the hip-hop musical “Hamilton” which has become a huge success both in the US and here in the UK. 

Back when they released tickets for the first London shows, I and many others sat next to my laptop constantly refreshing the page, making sure I got tickets to see it before they all sold out. I went with my cousins, all of us having listened to the soundtrack so many times we’d basically memorised all the lyrics, and we absolutely loved it. It’s a really fantastic musical, I highly recommend going. 

Among many other themes and nuances, one of the things that Hamilton is about is being remembered. One of the songs says “Let me tell you what I wish I’d known, when I was young and dreamed of glory – you have no control who lives, who dies, who tells your story.” And in another song, Aaron Burr, one of the main characters says “death doesn’t discriminate between the sinners and the saints. It takes, and it takes, and it takes.”

 It’s a sobering thought, but it’s true. We’re not going to be here forever, and we don’t know if anyone will tell our story when we’re gone. Aaron Burr responds to this realisation by striving to make a name for himself “I am the one thing in life I can control” and he will wait for the success that is coming to him. 

I wonder if you want to be remembered. Do you want people to tell your story? Are you “not going to throw away your shot? Well there’s someone in the Bible who’s completely the opposite. John the Baptist came to prepare the way for Jesus. He didn’t want to be remembered (even though we have remembered him), he cared about what people thought of Jesus. When speaking of Jesus, John said “he must become greater, and I must become less.” 

What an amazing contrast to people like Hamilton, and Aaron Burr! And if John cares so much about Jesus being remembered, maybe it’s worth finding out why.

Matt Gurtler 11/1/22