Recently I was blessed to attend a symphony performing the music of the incomparable John Williams. You may or may not recognize that name, but you will recognize some of his masterpieces.
Not only is he a decades-long accomplished conductor, but he’s composed the scores for some of our most beloved films: Schindler’s List, E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, Jaws (one of my favorites!), Saving Private Ryan, Fiddler on the Roof, Indiana Jones, and yes, every single Star Wars movie, and so much more.
Soaking in the beauty of each arrangement, I watched as each section played in perfect unison, and every section harmonized with the others.
Dozens of individual sounds, while beautiful on their own, but together, as they followed the direction of the conductor, each sound contributed to form a symphony that touched the soul.
Even within sections where all were playing the same instruments, each person had a slightly different way of holding their own, of sitting, of moving…
Some would periodically move back and forth across the stage to play more than one instrument. Most musicians had moments when they sat during a piece, waiting for their cue from the conductor. Some waited longer periods of time and only occasionally played their instruments.
As I listened to the waves of the violins, the pounding of the drums, the moaning of the cellos, the ting of the triangle, the crashing of the cymbals, this poetry set to melody, I couldn’t help but think of you and me.
God has given each of us an instrument, if you will, a gift to bless those in the kingdom of God, and to be a light of His love touching souls in the world.
We have different gifts, none more important than the others, but each one complimenting one another to accomplish God’s composition, the beautiful, eternal plan our Father has written.
As we keep our eye fixed on our Conductor, following His instruction, waiting when we’re called to wait, contributing as He directs us, not exactly like another but as the Lord has blessed us in our own way, that we can fully realize our part alongside our brothers and sisters in our Father’s grand orchestra.
For those who know Jesus Christ as our Savior, God has given us, at this time in history, a part to play. Don’t despair if your part doesn’t seem as active as someone else’s, or if your instrument is different than another’s, or you seem to have longer (or shorter) waiting periods, or you have one gift while someone else has more than one.
Each one of our parts is vital to the symphony God has planned.
And one more thing. The word symphony is derived from the Greek word sumphōnia meaning unison of sound, a concert of instruments.
That word is used one time in the Bible in the telling of the parable of the prodigal son.
The son had left the father, squandered everything he had and was left destitute.
He’d come to his senses and journeyed home, his father running to greet him. Though the son had been resigned to being a mere servant of his father, his father would have none of that. He embraced him, clothed him in his finest, and joyfully received him back as a son, and a grand celebration ensued.
As the older son was coming home, “he heard music – sumphōnia – and dancing.” Luke 15:25b
Of course God doesn’t need any of us to accomplish His will, but He’s chosen to bless us with gifts that we might be part of His eternal composition.
As we each perform our gifts, God causes them to be used together to bring some to the Father for the first time, and some to return to a loving, trusting relationship with Him. The echoes of that orchestra will reverberate forever.
Could there be any more beautiful symphony than that?
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Heavenly Father, help us be sensitive to the prompting of your Holy Spirit to serve you with the gifts you’ve given us. I pray, too, for those who aren’t sure what their gifts are. Please show them how you’ve gifted them and how you desire they use those gifts in their own unique ways to accomplish your grand purpose. Thank you, Father, for your grace and mercy in allowing us to be a part of what you’re doing in the lives of others, and may we always be careful to do it all bathed in prayer and with your love. We ask it all in Jesus’ precious name, amen.
