Stevie Wonder - Superstition live on Sesame Street

So what was Stevie Wonder saying with the song “Superstition?” Don’t get me wrong; I am a huge Stevie Wonder fan. We are approximately the same age (he is 7 months and 2 days older), and I even remember when he was known as “Little Stevie Wonder.”


“Superstition” is one of those “feel good” songs that include multiple rhythms, great brass, funky guitar, and a killer bass line. What gets lost in the exceptional music is a subtle message:


When you believe in things you don’t understand, you suffer. Superstition ain’t the way.

I do not for a minute equate the faith of the Bible with superstition. In fact, one of the best definitions of faith that I have ever heard comes from Dr. James Price: “faith is sufficient reason to believe.” This echoes Heb. 11:1: faith is substance and evidence.

Yet we must admit that there are some unseen elements to our faith. In Hebrews 11, Noah is warned of “events as yet unseen” (Heb. 11: 7), and by faith Abraham, when he was called by God “went out, not knowing where he was going” (Heb. 11:8).

We certainly do suffer if we believe in an irrational superstition that believes that things like walking under ladders and breaking mirrors can somehow influence future actions. But the faith of Jesus Christ is not superstition. I hope Stevie can make the distinction.

(By the way, the video is a live performance from Sesame Street. Remember the days when Bert, Ernie, and Oscar were fun instead of politically correct?)