Get in the Game

The story is told of a talented musician who trained for hour upon hour each day to perfect his craft. This musician put his heart and soul unto his playing to the point that he became one with his instrument. While he had virtually perfected the execution of each note, he chose to keep his talent to himself and would not share his gift with the world. He could not explain why…he had just refused to share his gift.

After many years the musician became friends with another musician, who didn’t know that his friend was a musician until he happened to overhear his friend practicing one afternoon. After hearing his friend play the most beautiful musical solo that had ever heard, he inquired as to how his friend got be so good at his instrument and why he had never played for him. After hearing his explanation and after hearing his friend say that he has never played in front of nor did he ever intend to play for an audience, the man was floored. He simply asked this single question…”Why on Earth do you practice soooooo hard if you never intend to play or to share your gift with the rest of the world?”

Sunday after Sunday millions of people gather for the largest “practice” session in the world. In their church “homes” many are equipped with the skills and tools needed to “perform” their “perfected craft”. We greet one another in love…We give of our time…We give of our money…We give of our talents/gifts…We quote scriptures and testify of the goodness of God to other believers…etc, but when will the majority of the team go beyond practice field and actually share our craft with the rest of the world? Practice is great, but why do we continue to practice if we are not going to play?

Matthew 5:16 (The Message)
14-16"Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.

God has called us to shine our lights and to not keep our gifts to ourselves or solely inside the house of God. We are to use our gifts to attract others to the God. What good is it to continue to only “preach to the choir” when the ones who need to hear the message of God’s Love and need to experience His unconditional love aren’t stepping foot through the doors of the church building?

I am by no means saying that we should not attend church, but what I am saying is that we should not be some comfortable in the church seats that we forget our purpose and our calling. Our ultimate call is to shine our lights in this dark world so that the lost will see the light, be drawn to it and to want to connect with the source of the light (God).

It is time for the children of God to stop being professional, perpetual “practicers” (Jesse Jackson word of the day) and to GET IN THE GAME!!!!

Be Blessed,
B