Setting An Example In Musicality

A brief update: my son got safely to Dallas and remembered to call us. My dad's speech is improving to the point where he can now read aloud a child's board book with 4-5 words on a page. He stutters and stumbles, but he gets it out. It's both encouraging and sobering.Wednesday he could only read two pages.

Now back to the subject begun on Memorial Day. We lead by example, for good or bad.
One area I get heated up about is musicality. Have you run across a mediocrity mindset in the church? Whatever we give or do is good enough--after all, it's not like it's for the public-- it's only for the church. I've seen this applied to church garage sales (if it's broken, ripped, smelly, dirty, or unwanted, give it to the church sale) and to music.

Shame on those who frown on excellence in music for our Lord! If someone builds an altar for the sanctuary, it's assumed that the person has had the necessary training for the job. If he's lacking some needed skill, he'll get help and practice at it. He might call in a more experienced carpenter to do finish work or carving. It's expected that he will use a plan, purchase quality materials, work with effective tools, and not present it until it is the best he can do. He might tell you it's a matter of pride. And rightly so. He has worked hard at his craft.

So why accuse musicians of pridefulness or conceit when they strive to offer the best they can for the glory and pleasure of God? Maybe it's because musicians are more often seen. Maybe there's some jealousy involved. Or maybe it's that demonic opposition comes more into play when it's the battleground of music. We do have an enemy who loves to twist and pervert this powerful gift of God.

God doesn't do mediocrity.

As fallen humankind, we can't be perfect in our music. That doesn't mean we shouldn't try! I am disappointed by the attitude of Junk for Jesus. I've never been driven to perfection, never criticized my choir or worship teams for mistakes made, never hinted that I'd be disappointed if we didn't do as well as expected. However, I'm convinced that we must aim for perfection. We must offer the Lord our FIRSTFRUITS, not our leftovers! That means practice. That means caring. That means more practice. That means planning and preparing. As I tell my students before recitals, there are mistakes due to nerves or distractions, and there are mistakes due to lack of preparedness. Don't sweat the former, but don't be guilty of the latter.

The single most powerful performance of a song I've ever heard came from a teen boy who had mental and physical challenges. He stood before his audience and sang from the depths of his heart. The song was about a baby born and growing up with defects, and the parents believing in him and loving him when others hinted he should have been aborted. This boy did not have a pleasant voice, was not well in tune, enunciated with difficulty, and had no stage presence to please watchers. But he had the song memorized, honored his heavenly Father with his best effort, and the audience wept, and the applause lasted many minutes. Best of all, the applause was mostly for Father God for the gift of this boy.

When we give our best effort no matter how meager it is, and work hard to hone our craft, the Lord takes and expands it.


More on musicality specifics tomorrow.