The Piano

Hey, Y'all,
This one starts a little cheesy but winds up strong.
Happy Sabbath...

****************************************************************

"The Piano"

Wishing to encourage her young son's progress on the piano, a mother took her boy to a Paderewski concert. After they were seated, the mother spotted a friend in the audience and walked down the aisle to greet her. Seizing the opportunity to explore the wonders of the concert hall, the little boy rose and eventually explored his way through a door marked "NO ADMITTANCE."

When the houselights dimmed and the concert was about to begin, the mother returned to her seat and discovered that the child was missing. Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights focused on the impressive Steinway on stage. In horror, the mother saw her little boy sitting at the keyboard, awkwardly picking out "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star." At that moment, the great piano master made his entrance, quickly moved to the piano, and whispered in the boy's ear, "Don't quit. Keep playing." Then leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began filling in a bass part. Soon his right arm reached around to the other side of the child and he added a running obbligato. Together, the old master and the young novice transformed an potentially humiliating situation into a wonderful experience. And the audience was mesmerized.

Whatever our situation in life and our history--however outrageous, however desperate, whatever dry spell of the spirit, whatever dark night of the soul--God is whispering deep within our beings, "Don't quit. Keep playing. You are not alone. Together we can transform the broken patterns into a masterwork of my creative art. Together, we will change the world with our song of peace."

Don't quit...Keep playing...You are not alone...Together we can change those halting, broken notes into glorious music, to move us and those around us with the peace that comes from knowing the Master Musician.

(You've been prayed for today).

(Originally posted June 11, 2004)