” Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.”
In 17th century Italy, in the town of Cremona, lived a young boy named Antonio. Antonio was often sad because he lived in a town that was famous for its music, but he could neither sing nor play any musical instruments. Antonio’s voice was high and squeaky, so he was not welcome in the Cremona Boys’ Choir. When he took violin lessons, the neighbors persuaded his parents to make him stop. Yet, Antonio still wanted to make music. Antonio’s friends teased him because it seemed that his only talent was whittling, but he did not give up.
One day the boy learned that a world-famous violin maker named Amati lived in Cremona. The next morning Antonio went to visit Amati and begged to serve as his apprentice. For many years he studied and worked. Antonio’s talent for whittling grew into a skill of carving; his hobby soon became his craft. Patiently he fashioned many violins, striving to make each one better and more beautiful than the one before. When Antonio died, he left over 1,500 violins, each one bearing a label that said “Antonio Stradivarius.”
Today they are the most sought after violins in all the world. The clarity of tone and careful craftsmanship remain untouched as the centuries move forward. Antonio Stradivarius could neither sing nor play, but he did what he could, and now, over 300 years later, his violins are still making beautiful music.
This story highlights that even though Stradivarius couldn’t play music or sing in tune, this didn’t stop him from making music. Instead of bemoaning that he couldn’t do this or that or giving up in frustration because he was denied a chance to sing with the choir, he used what skills he did have to enable others to make beautiful music through the instruments he made. And that is precisely what Paul says in Romans 12:6. Look at the way the Contemporary English Bible translates this verse, “God has also given each of us different gifts to use“.
Are each of us using our gifts and talents to the best of our ability in the churches God has called us to? Are we making a sweet sound for God in all that we do in and out of church? Regardless if we can sing or play a musical instrument, each of us can make a joyful noise unto the LORD!
Shalom,
Pastor Jim
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