Have you ever thought about how a symphony orchestra is like a church membership? Well, I certainly had never thought of it in that way, until driving home one night. I had been praying for some fresh inspiration when the thought came to turn on the radio and listen to a classical station. I did, and thoroughly enjoyed the composition that I heard. The music was rich and beautiful!
After turning off the radio, I tried to see what spiritual insight could come from having listened to the music. I suddenly realized the importance of all the instruments in the composition, and saw that without each one of them, the music would have sounded quite different. Some instruments came in just for brief periods, while others were played throughout the piece. It occurred to me that even though some of the instruments were not played often, still the musicians had to be following the music closely in order to know when to come in. They would also have to be alert to the signals of the conductor for "how" to come in. It reminded me of the saying "The right thing done at the wrong time is wrong, and the wrong thing done at the right time is wrong." I could see that if an instrument had the right pitch and tone and was played out of turn, it would not make the piece sound right; while the wrong pitch or tone at the proper time would likewise not contribute to the harmony of the music.
I then began to think of work in a branch Church of Christ, Scientist, and of how important each member's contribution is to the harmony of the whole. Sometimes members can get caught up in the self-righteous thought that they are contributing more time, effort, or money than others. Sometimes, we may think that we are not appreciated enough for what we do contribute, however "large" or "small."
