Eight-year-old David’s dad and mom wanted to motivate him to practice his piano lessons more diligently. They finally decided to take him to a performance by the famous pianist Paderewski. The evening of the performance came and, arriving at the auditorium, the family found their seats near the front of the hall. David seemed quite awed as he eyed the stage with its majestic Steinway grand piano, awaiting the appearance of the master.
David’s dad and mom, busily engaged in chatting with friends, did not notice that he had slipped away from his seat. A few minutes later, promptly at eight o’clock, the lights in the auditorium began to dim and the spotlights came on. To his parents’ surprise and dismay, there sat David on stage in front of the shiny grand piano, innocently plinking out the tune “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.”
Feeling no little embarrassment, David’s dad started up to retrieve his son. But at that very moment, Paderewski appeared on the stage and quickly moved to the keyboard. Leaning over, he whispered to the boy, “Don’t quit. Keep playing.” Then the master reached down with his left hand and began filling in the bass part of the song. A moment later, with his right arm around the other side of the child, he completed the delightful obbligato. Together, the old master and the young novice held the crowd mesmerized with their charming duet but it was the master’s touch which gave the rich and beautiful sound to the tune.
It is wonderful to know that when we do something for the Lord Jesus, “we are laborers together with God” (1 Cor. 3:99For we are laborers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. (1 Corinthians 3:9)). Perhaps you don’t feel that your service is important, or maybe you think what you do isn’t very good. But the Lord tells us in 2 Thessalonians 3:1313But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing. (2 Thessalonians 3:13) that we are not to become “weary in well doing.”
Do you remember when God sent Moses to Egypt to deliver His beloved people? Moses didn’t think he could do what God had asked of him, for he said, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent.... I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue” (Ex. 4:1010And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. (Exodus 4:10)).
The Lord Jesus says that He will “never leave” a believer (Heb. 13:55Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. (Hebrews 13:5)). Isn’t it nice to know that when we do something for Him it is as if He is right there with His arms around us helping and saying, “Don’t quit. Keep playing.” In this way God our Father receives glory and those we serve are blessed.
Ed.