April 22, 2014
Gratefully Yours
I’m becoming
more and more aware of ways people in directorship roles try to elicit a
response from an audience. Recently a church music director told us to, “Sing
with gratitude in our hearts for all God has done for us.” My reaction
surprised me. Just as we all may get a different take-a-way from a sermon, we
may each be inspired differently by a hymn. I was leaning toward thinking the
worship leader was a little presumptuous to be directing my worship thoughts
and then I read Paul’s opinion, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as
you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as sing psalms, hymns
and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God (Col 3:16 NIV).”
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1 comment:
Gail;
-----The gratitude in thanksgiving is a fundamental attitude of the new life. When you turn on your computer the operating system boots up, and in its framework you will from then on do everything you do with the computer. When the Lord turns on your new life, gratitude boots up. From then on you will do everything you do in the mental framework of gratitude. Of course, metaphor and similitude and the like are of limited utility. Gratitude is not the sole attitude of the new life’s operating system, but neither is it some app downloaded only for special occasions.
-----Also, the ideas and beliefs we hold in common are similar to an operating system, for what of them we agree upon are more in the nature of shared framework rather than detail. Even the ideas passed to us by our closest loved ones we pick up as out of the dirt and dust off all implications not fitting into the nooks and crannies of our own particularized mental details. Interpersonal communication isn’t everything it’s cracked up to be. How many times have you left a conversation thinking you said everything clearly and just right? How many times have you left one being certain you exactly understood what you heard? Yah, me neither.
-----But music glues us together pretty well. It’s maybe more about the emotions of the tune than the information of the lyrics. And what of the lyrics it is about is more the gist than anything. Well written music abiding within the emotionally moving natures of certain rhythms, beats, and melodies can exude attitudes and feelings in any willing participant that otherwise might take a book to explain.
-----Likewise, Peter told the elders to be influential, “So I exhort the elders among you…tend the flock of God that is your charge…not as domineering over those in your charge but being examples to the flock.” (I Peter 1:1-3) And Paul says to all, “Brethren, join in imitating me, and mark those who so live as you have an example in us.” (Philippians 3:17) Information is truly important, but one good example can effect your basic behavior for the rest of your life, while you’re most likely going to forget 90% of the information you’ve heard.
Love you all,
Steve Corey
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