The Orchestra of Faith - Part 1
My wife is the musician in the house, adept at the bassoon, piano, organ, and was first chair clarinet in high school. She stayed with the piano over the years and made sure all the kids were familiar with musical instruments to the extent that each took part in the local school band programs. The kids individually learned and played one each, the French horn, the saxophone and the piano. All played reasonably well before dropping away. Unfortunately, I never had that interest as a kid, but I always enjoyed certain types of music from Strauss to Glenn Miller to Chuck Berry. But my favorites were and are mostly in the classic country realm with Patsy Cline being #1 for quality and enjoyment.
Anyway, sometime back, someone made a comment, not a new one, but a rehash about an orchestra being the sum of all the instruments, something like that. I’d heard it many times before, but this time it touched the ethereal portion of the brain. The similarity of musical instruments in an orchestra to that of a Christian work or direction popped out.
An orchestra is made of gifted individuals using various musical instruments. Their mission is to provide music with a value to man. Christianity is centered by gifted individuals also, but they are imbued with various spiritual gifts. Their mission is to provide spiritual direction with a value to man.
The first presents the music of man. The second presents the “music” of God. But neither gives off the proper sound(s) without study, practice and orchestration, this last being leadership.
And too, Christians may receive a physical gift. When we look at the giants of music, we find folks such as Bach to have this type of musical gift as well as the Christian gifts, primarily a “… proper gift … ” for the work of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is received which was given them at salvation, 1st Corinthians 7:7. And “Yes, as with musicians, Christians may be given ability with more than one gift,” but each has one with which they excel.
Neither is adept with their “instrument” at the beginning, but with practice and instruction, they will find an ever upward level of ability in their use. Eventually, some will split off from the group to individual works.
Being adept with a reed, a drumstick, etc., will not bring forth music unless the player using an instrument has been properly trained. The same is true of the Christian. Each must learn to use the instrument provided. The musician may decide which instrument he likes, the horn or drum, but his success with it is decided by his innate ability. Similarly, the Christian may choose a field of endeavor, but the proper use of his gift will decide his success. And here we have the major difference between the musician and the Christian, using the real world labels. Each is imbued with their gift(s) by God, James 1:17, but their real value is in overall use, as allowed by God.
It might be said, the musician is given his gift at physical birth and it manifests in time, some sooner than others.
The Christian is given his gift, two actually, at the time of his spiritual birth. That is when he accepts Jesus Christ as his personal savior. The first gift is the same for all. It is called salvation, being saved, Ephesians 2:8. The second is our working gift, probably given at the same time, 1st Corinthians 7:7.
Musicians make up the orchestra of music. Christians make up the “orchestra of faith.” In each orchestra the players have their special gift to contribute to the music. They are selected, assembled and take their proper position in the orchestras at the direction of the “maestro.”