I spent the last week watching the students of the Bullock Creek High School Marching Band learn how to march in step with each other and play their instruments at the same time. We call it, “Band Camp”, and I can honestly say that the experience of helping with it has taught me many lessons about life. This year was our last with the band since we have moved here to Battle Creek, and there were many teary moments and sad goodbyes, but we also have a sense of excitement as we begin to blend into this community and find places to serve.
The most amazing thing about marching bands is that they march in step with each other and display a unity that a pastor can only dream about. The Band is there for a singular purpose, and each member has a part to play in that purpose. Unlike many athletic ventures, Bands succeed when no one stands out. Equality and unity are essential if the band is going to wow the crowd, by marching in step, while playing different parts of the same song…..very different parts! A tuba and a flute both participate in the band and they look and sound completely different. Tuba’s are loud and boisterous, and by themselves are only good for mimicking the opening notes of the veggie tales theme song. Flutes on the other hand are quiet and reserved and can fill the air with beautiful melodies all by themselves. Both of them add something special to the sound of the band because of their differences. Wouldn’t it be great if the church of Jesus Christ could grasp this concept?
Imagine if the people of the church would march in step in the direction that God is leading, and play the unique part that god has called them to play. Some of us are like Tuba’s, loud and boisterous, but others are like flutes, whose sound is hard to hear over the rest of the instruments. Still others more closely resemble the trumpets, or saxophones, or the drum line (my personal favorite:). Regardless of our part, we need to march in step with the rest of the band as they follow Christ in the direction of the mission that he has for us.
Another cool thing about the band is that they occasionally break rank and do some unique moves. For instance our tubas dip and then twirl during a cadence that we call “wild thing”. At the parade last Saturday, the Judges had looked away from our band after they passed the judging point, but then immediately looked again when they heard the “wild thing” cadence and saw the crowd pointing to our band as they did their dance. Rising above everyone were the tuba’s whirling and spinning. I saw the excited look on the judges faces because they saw something unique and different about our band. They were pleased, and so was I, and then as quickly as it started, “Wild thing” was over and the band snapped back into step and continued down the parade route.
As we march together following our savior we are called at times to do something unique and special to grab the attention of the world, and to help them to see that God uses our uniqueness as well as our obedience. We are all different and that is what makes our unity so special. Nobody wants to listen to a band that only has tubas, or any one instrument for that matter. It is the differences that make the music special, and it is our differences that make each of us special to God.
I guess the moral of the story is this: we need to be walking in unity with God’s people as we all follow him together, but we also need to free ourselves and others to be the unique person that God has created us to be. Our differences make His Body, the church, better, as long as we are willing to follow his plan, and march to the cadence that He calls out. Some days we march slow and steady. Other days we may even mark time, and not move forward at all so that our weaker brothers and sisters can get in step with us. My favorite days are the “Wild” days, when he calls us to break rank and express our uniqueness in a way that glorifies Him and His church. Whatever the cadence, we must march together, and follow His lead.
You are loved
PJ
Very wellsaid. God bless.