Hey Gang: Is it not amazing what we sometimes choose to
get our tail-feathers up-in-the-air over?
Returning from three wonderful weeks of sunshine and warmth in Florida some
years ago, ,I wondered if someone were to ask me, ‘What was the high point of
the three weeks?’ How I would respond.
Quickly the thought came: ‘The clicker to the television was greatly
neglected’.
We happened to choose, by accident, those
weeks referred to as ‘Spring Break’. In
the Sun Belt that means the recreation industry will either make their year or
come up wanting. Finding a room is like
the preferable ‘hen’s teeth’ challenge,’. If you did not have the foresight to
make your reservations months in advance, be prepared to sleep in your car. It is suggested that billions of dollars pass
through the coffers and credit-cards of the Sun Belt, all seeking that moment
of bliss.
So, what is important to you. As a boy I attended a church that had a
wonderful youth program, a thriving community out-reach and God was honored in
worship and praise. As I recall Pastor
Byler and Pastor Martin had one focus, unity in the family of God under the
power of God.
And then one day it was decided the
worship and praise could be moved up a step or two if they purchased an
organ. The church waited in
anticipation for the completion of the installation and the wonderful music
that would resonate from this new addition to the worship service. There were no praise teams at that time.
But there was a problem boiling
beneath the surface that reared its ugly head even before the organ was
installed – who would play the organ? It turned out to be a battle similar to
the Martin’s and McCoys of folklore days. The church split right down the
middle aisle. Those for Alice on the
right side and those for Betty on the left.
To make a long story very short – for
over a year there was intense arguing and the church began to come
unglued. The pastor resigned and moved
on, the youth leaders resigned and moved on, the church leadership resigned and
move on and Betty and Alice also moved on and the average attendance dropped
from more than two hundred to less than seventy.
So, keep in mind, it is very easy to
get caught up in things that don’t really matte; things that over-shadow the
important things like loving God and each other. When asked what is the greatest commandment?
Jesus gave the answer that solves such issues as “organs” Love the Lord with
all your heart and your neighbor as yourself.”
As one elderly gentleman suggested, “Let’s have a congregation wiener
roast and burn the organ”. That my
young friends was pure wisdom.
Blessings,
Gramps
P.S. The tragedy of the story, the
winner also chooe to get up and leave even before the first sound from the new
beautiful organ. That was more than seventy
years ago and the scars remain locked into the hearts of the families of that
war. A suggestion that meeting at the
cross, forgiving each other, and compromising, Betty plays this month and Alice
next month. But hearts were hardened and
neither willing to deny self and humble themselves before the Lord.
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