Wednesday, June 12, 2013

A God of Diversity Designed

Our Lives with Uniqueness ~ For the Good and Harmony of us ALL!

Art like music is a layered reflection on life. I am so glad the designer of our lives loves the bounty of diversity.

A Great Symphony plays a detailed, many faceted peice of music with energy and perfection. The music has layers of different patterns and notes from many different instruments - some with monotones and some with melody.  Every bar has been practiced to perfection by every member of the group. During practice, many a sour note was played. They stumbled some with rythm, and unison. They faltered for months as they learned the peice a bit at a time. The group has come together for the same purpose, but they will segment themselves to do their job within the parameters of what is specifically designed for their instruments.  Each musician will play only his or her notes. A great anticipation envelops the group when they arrive at the desinated day to play the peice. There is an air of assurance that it will go flawlessly, and will delight every one who hears.

If every thing in life ran like a symphony playing music, life would be --- as it should be!
The people who go, go, go and can't sit still are the drummers in life.
The clowns are the cymbals, and tambourines, the knockers and honkers.
The optimistic, never get down people are the tinkling bells.
The sometimes up and sometimes down   people are the violins of life.
The steady firm hand are the base players.

If I can relate to an instument and the music it plays with my personality, I can see myself as a part of a grander scheme.  A great peice of music to be played. I fit in the world. I can be unlike anyone else and still be a part of something beautiful.

The Scripture "All things work together for Good" is best understood when we allow that not every note is ours to be played. If we try and try to be a drummer and we were meant to play a flute...we will never be happy in life. We won't be a part of things working together for good. If God made you to play a flute, play a flute.  Don't let a drummer take away your joy. We were designed to work together, with very oposing tunes, sometimes.  The drummer and flute may sound discordant playing only their two tunes, but they might be amazing together with all who are playing their parts. Practice being you. Not some other part. Be critical of your own attempts, but only to the extent that you wish to play your own designated notes.  Why despair if you can't play the notes of the person two chairs away if they aren't your notes?  If their notes rise and your notes fall, it only matters if they are harmonious.

God is truly able to take even our sour notes and turn them into good, but his plan is that we look to him to find and play only our own notes. I could go into a whole scenario of how it is sometimes beneficial to be able to play more than one instrument, and learn more than one score, or be capable on more than one stage, or venue, or be able to play well the whole of someone else's peice,  IF it will benefit someone who is struggling, or needs help along the way. But when we use knowing how to do it, to walk on the one for whom the music was written...we are not in God's perfect will. 

I totally love this image of life as a picture of life from God's point of view. The Father and son - so like the writers of the music and the words. The Holy Spirit like the conductor to our soul. They know the peice from begining to end, and so desire to have us learn to play it. They would guide us carefully through it as we learn bar by bar the melody and chords, verse and chorus, each and every part.

We have full permission to play only our desinated part, to know the perameters for when not to play, and expect other individuals to be responsible for their parts, not ours and to let God decide when the peice is ready to be played.  If it seems we are doing the same thing over and over...well, God is helping us get it right, is making it part of our soul, is making it easier and fluid and like breathing in and breathing out.  He is allowing us time to add our soul to the music.

Music that is lovely to hear is ususally played by someone who is playing or singing more than just the notes. On my keyboard, there is a button that allows it to sense the pressure you play each note with. It literally plays the pressures that I add as my body responds to how I feel the music. The result sounds so much better than when just the notes are played. And I enjoy playing it much better as well. The music flows.

So glad the Lord reminded me of this concept: enjoying the blessings of being encouraged by it's truths. I have a part on life's stage that was written specifically, just for me.

LIFE IS A SYMPHONY  Words and music by Beatrice Bush Bixler

"Life is a symphony, since the man of Galilee,
 changed my discord into song, Makes life sweet the whole day long.
Life is a symphony, praise the Lord of Calvary,
No more a stranger, He is the arranger of my Symphony!


No comments: