Don’t forget the musician

Years ago, there was a master violinist in Europe. He had a magnificent and extremely expensive Stradivarius violin. He would play the Stradivarius violin in concerts, and everyone in the crowd would whisper, “Listen to the beautiful sounds of the Stradivarius.” He would play in churches, and people would say, “Listen to the beautiful sounds of the Stradivarius.” He even played before kings and queens, and they, too, would turn to one another and say, “Listen to the beautiful sounds of the Stradivarius.” All the glory went to the instrument.

One day, this master violinist was walking by a pawnshop when he noticed an old, beat-up, worn-out violin. He walked into the pawnshop and asked how much it cost. The owner of the pawnshop told him the European equivalent of five dollars. He bought the violin and took it home. He polished it, refined it, tuned it, and built some character into it.

Then when he was to play the greatest performance of his life in a concert hall, he took out the little, five-dollar, worn-out, beat-up violin that he had polished and refined. He put it up to his chin, and he began to play, and everybody in the concert hall whispered, “Listen to the beautiful sounds of the Stradivarius.” Once more, the audience was focused on the instrument, and they ignored the musician.*

This story, from the preaching of Ron Lee Davis entitled, “Rejoicing in Our Suffering,” is a great reminder for us not to forget the Musician.

I do a great deal of speaking. If musicians give concerts, I give seminars and keynotes.

After a speech or a seminar, people would come up to me and say, “You are the best I have ever heard.” I smile and say, “Thank you… You are very kind.”

I also do a radio program, write books and keep a newspaper column. So people would also send me emails, and drop me a text or a Facebook message complimenting me on my material. I always respond with a “Thank You.”

Compliments like these make me feel good. But I remind myself constantly that I’m only an instrument.

I’m only an instrument in the hands of a great musician. I can do what I do only because the master musician has enabled me to do so. I take the Scriptures seriously, especially the part that says without Christ, I can do nothing.

The only reason why we can do what we do is because of the grace of God. So we should always be willing to be fine-tuned by him and to be played by him no matter who the audience is.

Speak in a classy hotel? Sure! Speak in an international convention center? Of course! How about in a non-concreted public school with a torn roof in a far-flung province that can’t afford even a cheap sound system? That’s where the challenge is.

If I say no because the audience and the place pose an inconvenience for me, then I, the self, have increased, and my God, the musician, has decreased; but if I accept the invitation with a cheerful heart, knowing that God is about to play me again to meet his purpose, then out comes beautiful music.

You and I are only as good as God would allow us to be.

Most people miss out on the verse about how God has given us a life to be lived to the full. And most people think that fullness of living means living a life of enjoyment all the time. It’s true that God wants us to live joyfully, but God also wants us to remain steadfast in challenges and trials. These are also part of full living. They’re what make us stronger – stronger in character, and stronger in our love of and trust in the living God.

We are God’s instruments. We are to serve. And the only way we can be effective is when we know that without the Master Musician, we can accomplish nothing.

Borrowing the words of John the Baptist in the New Testament, we should decrease, and God should increase! After all, he is the master musician, and we are just his instruments.

Let this week’s observance of Lent keep us grounded and reminded.

*Ron Lee Davis, “Rejoicing in Our Suffering,” Preaching Today, Tape No. 74.

  See: Ps 66:10; Ro 5:1-5; 1 Pe 1:7.

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