Harmonizing

I lead music for the youth on Wednesday nights. I play guitar and sing. I've played guitar for about 8 years now. I'm not great, but I know a thing or two about writing music and how to generally make the guitar NOT sound like a dying cat. I also sing. I've only been singing for a year. I don't think I'm horrible at it. I can carry a tune (granted, my bucket still has a few holes in it.) But one thing I've never been able to do is Harmonize. If you're unfamiliar with what Harmonizing is, its essentially singing a different melody over top of the melody that everyone else sings. It makes the music sound more full and complete (Remember that for later.) I can't sing the harmony, and I struggle to sing the melody while someone is singing the harmony beside me. It pulls me off and makes me frustrated (and sometimes angry) because they aren't singing the same notes as I am. I don't get angry that they are talented and awesome at singing the harmony, I get angry because it pulls me off, challenges me to concentrate hard, and make sure that I nail the notes that I'm supposed to sing perfectly, or else we'll both get off.

Why is he telling this story? I know there is a spiritual lesson here somewhere, but i don't see it! Actually, you've probably already guessed where this is going. =)

1 Peter 3:8 Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.

Romans 12:16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

Notice the word usage. "harmony." Why does Paul choose the word "Harmony" and not "Unison?" Because we're not meant to be in unison. We're all apart of the body of Christ

1 Cor. 12:⁴There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. ⁵There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. ⁶There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men....... ¹⁴Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. ¹⁵If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. ¹⁶And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. ¹⁷If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. ¹⁹If they were all one part, where would the body be? ²⁰As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

We have created a pitfall in the american church (and specifically, the Southern Baptist Denomination) in thinking that everyone who serves Christ has to serve in the same capacity as we do. We're turned off by people who do things differently, people that break barriers, people that do things so radical that the church is flipped upside down. Here's a quote from Steve Jobs, found of computer giant Macintosh.

"Here's to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes... the ones who see things differently -- they're not fond of rules... You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can't do is ignore them because they change things... they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do."

We're totally open to missionaries in foreign countries. We hear stories of how bluetree was playing music in a bar in Thailand and recieved divine inspiration for the song "God of this City." We hear that and think "wow! that's awesome!" No one will argue with that. But when people hear that the Wall Highway music team will be playing at Jimmy's (we're not, this is just hypothetical), people flip out! "That's so 'unchristian-like!' How could they do that!? Playing music in such a sinful place!" But I ask you, what is the difference?

This is exactly the kind of thing I'm talking about. Not recognizing the different roles of the body of Christ. Some are meant to be the head - Pastors, planners, wealthy businessmen who give huge monetary donations for the cause of Christ- some are meant to be the hands - young people who are full of energy and physical capabilites - some are meant to be the shoulder - those people who you can go to when you're upset and need someone to comfort you - and some are meant to be the feet - going places where the gospel has never been preached and doing things that have never been done for the sake of Christ.

People with different gifts and different callings make the church more full and complete.