Sunday, November 27, 2011 - Singing Parts vs. Shouting Opinions

"Live in harmony with each other.  Don't try to act important, but enjoy the company of ordinary people.  And don't think you know it all! . . . 

Do your part to live in peace with everyone, as much as possible." 

Romans 12:16 & 18

 "Mockers can get a whole town agitated, but those who are wise will calm anger." Proverbs 29:8

     Music can be therapeutic or traumatizing - depending on how, who, when, and even where.  Hearing your favorite Christmas carol sung by a death metal group - traumatizing. Hearing a generic version of "Happy Birthday" shouted to you in a crowded restaurant by a group of stressed servers who don't know you or your name - traumatizing. Oh, but a choir singing "Silent Night" in harmony and with heart or singing the "Hallelujah Chorus" with vigor - therapeutic and inspiring.  Listening to children singing "Away in a Manger"  or "Little Gray Donkey" melts the cold heart and warms the toes. 

     I wonder what the musical score would look like if some great musician could write the notes out for our home, our church, or our community. Would the notes be piled on top of each other until they were an indistinguishable blob on the page?  How many measures would beat along harmoniously until some sour note broke the spell?  How many screeching voices would drown out the the soothing ones?  With everyone claiming their right to "share" their opinions and criticisms, a pianist would have to scramble across the keyboard to play every note equally and forget any kind of melody or structure at all. 

     "Peace on earth" may begin with me keeping my mouth shut until my appointed time to sing or even keeping my opinion to myself - period.  My part may be small, but it adds to the overall effect.  You may or may not have a solo.  I may play in an ensemble. Either way, singing in harmony even poorly is more therapeutic than shouting because we have the right to shout. 

Lord God, forgive us for being consumed with spouting opinions when You've given us good works, great works to sing so the world can be healed. Use our voices for good, as testimonies of Your Power and salvation. May our lives demonstrate Your "Peace on Earth and Good Will to men."  Dissolve our personal agendas and wills into Your own, just as Jesus prayed You would do in His life.  

"Father, if You are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from Me. 
Yet I want Your will, not mine." 

Luke 22:42

We're entrenched in our bad habits of mouthing off instead of singing Your praises.  Heal us with Your mighty Power and lift our hearts to higher ground to share more than just our opinions, 

"And now, may the God of peace, 

Who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, 

equip you with all you need for doing His will.  

May He produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, all that is pleasing to Him." 

Hebrews 13:20-21

In the Name of Jesus Who spoke only the words You gave Him,

"The words I say are not my own, but my Father who lives in Me 

does His work through Me." 

John 14:10