Your Performance

I remember when my oldest daughter was preparing for a piano recital. We finally had a “good practice week.” By “good” I mean I actually did what her instructor has been asking us to do since the beginning: have her practice, not once or twice a week, but EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK, and NOT while her father and I go off and do something else, instead with one of us sitting with her as she practices.

We try, but some weeks are better than others. This particular week I was on point. Gabrielle had the piece of music down pat. The tempo was live, her sound was smooth, and her transitions from forte to mezzo forte were accurate.

I dropped her off at practice and sat in the waiting area ready to hear her instructor come out and rave about how well my baby played her music.

The time came, they walked into the waiting area, and this lady said, “Gabrielle learned the song wrong!”

“Wrong?” I asked.

“Yes, wrong,” she repeated.

“Her hand positions were completely incorrect throughout the entire piece!” she explained.

“Oh,” I said.

Gabrielle performed what had been practiced.

. . . And so it is in life! If we practice selfishness, conceit, or apathy we will not show up and miraculously have grace, humility, or kindness to extend. You and I will perform what has been practiced. We play a tune at work, at home, with friends, and even with ourselves. Every step we take, every decision we make, all that we do comes together to create a melody of some sort. Be it love, joy, peace, and patience or be it dishonesty, resentment, misery, and injustice– the position we take most often will be the position we take when it matters most. If we, as Christians, are not practicing what is written, that is, what is in the Bible, we will not experience what is written, that is, God’s blessings, and neither will those around us.

That day, the instructor graciously took the time to show us both the correct hand positions. We went home and Gabrielle spent another week practicing. For the first time, we heard her play the song—not the way we thought it should be played; not the way we’d been playing it—but instead, we heard what was actually written.

It was smoother.

It was more melodious.

It was what the composer composed.

It was correct.

One day, Christ graciously took the time to show us the correct position for a performance of our own called life. He placed it all in the written book of the Bible. We don’t have to make it up, figure it out, phone a friend, cross our fingers and hope for the best. He has blessed us with preachers, teachers, mentors, the Holy Spirit, and many resources. He is willing to show us how to get it right!

When Jesus was tempted by Satan in the desert, He had to know what was written in order to say and respond based on what was written.  He didn’t come up with some tune of His own. With each temptation, He simply said, “it is written . . .” as He carried out the will of His Father and successfully resisted His adversary. (Matthew 4:1-11)

How can we ever get “what is written” down pat ourselves and successfully resisted our adversary?

We can start by showing up for practice (or church, Bible Study, daily devotions), doing what the instructor (or the preacher, teacher, mentor, Holy Spirit) asks, and by going home and practicing (or reading your Bible more often than once a week.)

You’ll reflect on your performance in a particular situation in life and stand in awe of how . . .

It was smoother.

It was more melodious.

It was what the Creator intended.

It was correct.