Scripture: “Then he said to them all: Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” Luke 9:23
I
went to this really great concert a few weeks ago to see a Christian
band play some incredible music. I got there really early because I
wanted to be one of the first to get in the door and over to the stage
to see the band play. To get to the line, I had to walk by a young man
standing on the corner next to the venue where the concert was being
held. Well, he wasn’t just standing there. He was singing his heart out
into a microphone and playing his amplified acoustic guitar. And he
wasn’t just singing ANY song. He was singing songs by the band I was
about to see on stage inside the venue. It was obvious that this guy
probably didn’t have a ticket for the concert, and it was also very
obvious that he was not a very good musician. I thought to myself “Wow,
if I was part of this band, I would be offended by how awful this guy
sounds!” I also thought “I hope I don’t have to listen to him the entire
time I’ll be waiting in line here.”
Moments
after those thoughts crossed through my mind, the music stopped and I
was relieved. I turned to look back at the street corner musician only
to find him hanging out on that very corner with the lead singer of the
band! And the singer, who’s name is Jon, was laughing with him and
giving him a hug! Then Jon gave the street corner musician a ticket to
the concert. It doesn’t end there. During the concert, Jon introduced
the street corner musician to the entire crowd and invited him on stage
to play a song with the whole band.
Jesus in Disguise:
While
Jon introduced the street corner musician to all of us in the crowd, I
found out that he was HUMBLED by the impact his music had made on this
young aspiring musician. Jon’s music had such an impact that the
musician put himself out in public, in the middle of a big city, to play
music filled with messages of Jesus’ love because he wanted it to have
an impact on all those who were listening, and didn’t care if he seemed
foolish. My heart broke when I realized how selfish I was. I only
thought of myself and that I deserved “better” while waiting in line.
Really, the street corner musician was being brave, taking risk and
living out his faith. He was being a true disciple. I saw Jon as Jesus
in disguise coming out to tell the street corner musician, “well done,
my good and faithful servant.”
Being Sharpened:
I
tend to have to learn things many times over again because my human
nature always leaves me broken. But God’s nature leaves me alive. My
experience at the concert was something that I have learned over and
over again, but I always need reminding. It reminds me of the verse in
Proverbs:
“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17
Jesus was sharpening my faith through Jon and the street corner musician..
This is Your Life - Are you who you want to be?
My favorite song by Jon’s band has lyrics that go like this:
“Yesterday is a wrinkle on your forehead.
Yesterday is a promise that you’ve broken.
Don’t close your eyes, don’t close your eyes.
This is your life and today is all you’ve got now, and today is all you’ll ever have.
This is your life. Are you who you want to be?”
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