Did you ever destroy a musical performance? I have.
Once when our family traveled as the Gauger Brass, we provided music for more than a thousand people at a banquet in Dayton, Ohio. I was tasked with giving the pitch for a certain song which started with acapella vocals—simple. But the note I played was one half-step off. When the instruments started playing their accompaniment, it all sounded rather hideous. Concert demolished!
A friend recalls attending a performance of Handle’s Messiah where one of the soloists—a baritone—began the evening with a polite smile on his face. Yet as the lengthy instrumental introduction to his solo went on, the gentleman grew less serene. Gone was the smile, replaced by a furrowed brow. As the orchestral strains continued, his mood turned to fear. Then terror. Abruptly, the confused soloist stood up and just started singing his part (nowhere near his proper entrance), while the conductor valiantly sought to put the whole thing back on track.
Having just come through the Easter season playing French horn with our church orchestra, I’m reminded that hitting the high notes without squawking is only half the battle. Maybe the easy half. The other half is keeping track of when you are supposed to play. Or not play!
A lifetime of counting measures has brought about a simplified theology of living the Christian life. It goes like this:
- Stay focused so you know where you’re at.
- Play your part when you’re supposed to.
- Don't play when it’s not your turn.
- When it is your turn, do your very best.
- Watch quietly for your next turn.
When you think about it, that’s really all God is asking of any of us, isn’t it?
Be focused. Be ready. Be patient. Our Conductor knows the score!