My band instrument was the cornet (sort of like a trumpet). While most students began playing in the 5th grade, my small elementary school did not have a band teacher, and so I did not start playing until our school consolidated with a larger school. I was in the 8th grade. I have some distinct memories of my brief musical career. My cousin and I sat next to each other in our first band experience. We were trying our best to keep up with the other students. The band director looked straight at us. He said, “If you don’t know how to play the song…” I then thought he was going to instruct us in how to play, but he finished his sentence like this, “If you don’t know how to play the song, DON’T PLAY!” During high school, it was no surprise then, that I was placed in the “concert band”. This was the band for the kids who played a lot of clunkers. The director of this band had a low enthusiasm quotient. Apparently I was slow at catching on to my limitations, for yet a third band director said to me, “It’s too bad you can’t play as good as you look.” To the relief of many, I quit band.
I tell you these stories because there is a difference in being a director who is devoted to a band and being a director who is devoted to band members. There is a difference between being a pastor who is devoted to a church and being a pastor who is devoted to church members. There is a difference between being a parent who is devoted to a family and being a parent who is devoted to family members. I am pretty sure God flips devotion on its head. God seems to know that in order to be devoted to creation, creatures count. In order to be devoted to oceans, tending to what is in a stream is important. In order to be devoted to humanity, God sees each human as worth celebrating and teaching and rescuing and holding. God is devoted to you. May the trumpet sound fill you with joy!
May the trumpet sound fill you with joy!
