TobyMac – Scars (Come With Livin’)

TobyMac started in humble beginnings with fledgling hip hop band DC Talk in 1987, alongside college mates Kevin Max and Michael Tait.  In 2000, all three began to pursue solo careers.  With 13 years of experience under his belt, his career as TobyMac catapulted, leading to 12 albums and 3 EP’s.  These include:

• Momentum (2001)
• Welcome to Diverse City (2004)
• Phenomenon Festival Single (EP, 2004)
• Top Five Hits (EP, 2006)
• Portable Sounds (2007)
• Alive and Transported (Live, 2008)
• Tonight (2010)
• Christmas in Diverse City (2011)
• Eye on It (2012)
• This Is Not a Test (2015)
• Hits Deep Live (2016)
• Light of Christmas (2017)
• The Elements (2018)
• The Lost Demos (EP, 2020)
• Live in Denver (2021)

He’s also earned a plethora of awards for his solo work, as well as his contributions to DC Talk.

Also, check out my reviews of The Slam, Help Is On The Way (Maybe Midnight), Feel It, Til the Day I Die, and I Just Need U.

Lyrics can be found at https://genius.com/Tobymac-scars-come-with-livin-lyrics.

Note to new users: This is a different kind of review site!  Read About the Berean Test and Evaluation Criteria prior to reading this review.

1. What message does the song communicate?

TobyMac attempts to reach out to a friend of his, who isn’t returning his calls.  He noticed that his buddy is different, and not in a good way.  This companion was passionate about something that TobyMac knows about, but does not disclose to us.  Christians who are familiar with TobyMac’s work will likely think he references zeal for Christ, but this song is unclear on that point.

In any case, TobyMac laments about advice that he wanted to share with his compadre, showing that he cares about this person’s wellbeing.  Advice includes:

• All of us go through hard times; Our suffering isn’t unique.
• Remember where your help comes from.  Again, Christians will likely think this is from the Bible (see Section 2), but TobyMac’s lyrics are unclear.
• YOLO.
• Follow your passions without considering how much it will cost.  This is not the best advice, as many have followed this and were left destitute with a ton of debt.  It’s also possible that I am misinterpreting this, making it vaguer than I initially anticipated.
• Don’t oversimplify, whatever that means.

Side Note: According to TobyMac, this “friend” that he describes is his firstborn son, Truett.  This song was released about a year before Truett’s tragic death.

Score: 7/10

2. How much of the lyrics line up with Scripture?

While much of this song draws from Biblical principles, some of it could use clarity.  Most notably, specifically where TobyMac’s help comes from.

[Intro]

Lines 1-5: TobyMac leaves a voicemail message for his friend.  He explains why later in the song.

TobyMac’s friend has isolated themself. Genesis 2:18 tells us that it’s not good for us to be alone.  By not returning TobyMac’s calls, they open themselves up to spiritual attack, with Satan ready to pounce (1 Peter 5:8).

[Verse 1]

Lines 1-3: We’ve all been there.  Life is busy and sometimes we forget to check on our friends to see if they are OK.  If we are to obey Galatians 6:2 and Philippians 2:4, we should regularly contact our friends to see how they are doing.

Lines 4-6: TobyMac reminiscences his friendship with this unnamed individual.

[Verse 2]

Lines 1-6: TobyMac’s friend was on fire for…something.  Christians will likely interpret this as “on fire for God”, but the lyric isn’t clear on that point.  Whatever it was, some terrible tragedy changed them for the worse and they never recovered from it.

[Pre-Chorus]

Lines 1 and 2: TobyMac is about to advise his downtrodden friend.

[Chorus]

Lines 1-3: We all have a past filled with pain.  The language of James 1:2 is fascinating.  It says when we face trials, not if, indicating that human suffering is an inevitability of life.  Also, Genesis 3:17-19 tells us that life will be filled with thorns and thistles, which will literally grow with good food.  Figuratively, this represents the troubles of this life that comes with a sin-filled world.  Finally, Jesus understands our suffering on a personal level.  Amid our lawbreaking, He died for us (Romans 5:6-8).  TobyMac is right: we’re not alone in our suffering.

Lines 4-6: Repeats lines 1-3.

Lines 7 and 8: Where does TobyMac’s friend’s help come from?  Christians will likely see Psalm 121:1-2 in these words.  Indeed, when I first heard this lyric, this was my immediate thought as well.  For TobyMac’s friend, hearing “Lift your head to where your help comes from” may remind them of this passage of Scripture.  However, from an inherently clear perspective, this lyric is vague on the source of help.  It would be helpful to remove “So lift your head, lift your head” and add “Your help comes from the Lord”.

Lines 9-11: Repeats lines 1-3.

Side Note: Chorus’ last iteration is a bit different than the others; however, it doesn’t present any new information.

[Verse 3]

Line 1: You only live once (Hebrews 9:27).

Line 2: That is, all of us have violated God’s laws (Psalm 14:1-3, Psalm 53:1-3, Job 15:14, Ecclesiastes 7:20, Jeremiah 17:9, Romans 3:10, Romans 3:23, and 1 John 1:8-10).

Line 3: I’m not sure what this means. If interpreted as “the lost road only leads to found”, then this is incorrect.  According to Matthew 7:13-14, there are two roads: lost (wide; eternal destruction) and found (narrow; eternal life).  This interpretation supports universalism, which is unbiblical.

If interpreted as “one must be lost before they can be found”, then this is true.  However, I fear that this view may encourage people to sin so that grace may abound all the more (Romans 6:1-2).

Line 4: I’m not sure what is being oversimplified.  If it’s line 3 then I agree.

Lines 5 and 6: I’m not sure what TobyMac means by this.  If it’s about following your dreams, then I’m all for trying to follow one’s passions.  However, ignoring counting the cost has the potential to invite ridicule when it leads to financial ruin (Luke 14:28-30).  Failing to count the cost is often where dreams turn into nightmares!

[Verse 4]

Lines 1-6: See Intro.

Line 7 and 8: See Verse 3, line 4.

[Post-Chorus]

Lines 1-4: Essentially repeats Chorus, line 3.

[Bridge]

Lines 1 and 2: Essentially repeats the same idea as Chorus, line 3.

Lines 3-8: Repeats lines 1 and 2.

[Outro]

Lines 1-7: Combines portions of Bridge, lines 1 and 2 with Chorus, line 6.  Nothing new is added here.

Score: 7/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

Unbelievers will conclude that TobyMac is attempting to help his friend out of a dark place with worldly advice.  Aside from factors not associated with the lyrics (artist profile, played on Christian radio, etc.) nothing in this song will indicate that TobyMac’s chief resolution is to remember that God is with his pal.  Yet, TobyMac’s message that we aren’t alone in our suffering is commendable.  His example to reach out to someone in need is worth replicating.

Score: 6/10

4. What does this song glorify?

While it glorifies God that TobyMac is willing to help his ally, his presentation has many points of unclarity, significantly veiling it.

Score: 7/10

Closing Comments

TobyMac’s Scars (Come With Livin’) is a mixed bag.  While I commend TobyMac for showing us how to be a good friend, his clarity in his advice has much to be desired.  The lyrics don’t tell us where TobyMac’s help comes from, what is being oversimplified, and what it means to follow passion without cost.  My most charitable guesswork on some of these points has Biblical problems, hampering God’s glory.

Even if this song got a perfect score, I couldn’t recommend it for corporate worship for obvious reasons.

Final Score: 7/10

Artist Info

Track: Scars (Come With Livin’) (listen to the song)

Artist: TobyMac

Album: The Elements

Genre: Hip Hop/Rap

Release Year: 2018

Duration: 4:22

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