Right Relationships

I had hoped to write this in time for last weeks rehearsal when I was away helping my parents in Dothan … and getting my “new” car (it’s a 2001, but it’s brand new to me). I still haven’t bought the book (I will very soon, I guarantee), but have gained a lot from Bob Kauflin’s 4 short meditations on YouTube … promotional material for his book Worship Matters. The following comes from the final meditation: Right Relationships.

Won’t it be great when we get to heaven and there are no more arguments about which style of music is best, no one to tell us if the music was too loud or too soft, no more church members who don’t like the songs we choose, no more disagreements with our pastor about how long we should sing? Heaven is going to be awesome; but you may have noticed we aren’t there yet. And in the meantime, God has put people all around us to help us grow and become more like His Son … and how we relate to them is one of the most important aspects of being a worship leader.

One of the sentences above (I put it in italics) caught my attention.
I know I’ve shared it before, so I’ll be really brief with it this time. The Toothpick was very young, but old enough to be a right troublesome handful. I was talking to a guy who had worked with the teenagers at the church a couple of summers previous, and who (to hear everyone tell it) did everything right and extremely well, so I already felt a bit intimidated by him.
While talking with Pete, I was trying to hold the Toothpick, who was throwing a bit of a fit. I made an apologetic statement to Pete and must have made some reference to the fact (and it IS a fact) that the Toothpick seemed to be more difficult that most children his age, and that I was having a hard time dealing with it. Pete looked me in the face and said, “Maybe he’s the chisel God is using to shape you into the image of Christ.” The last thing I wanted was some spiritual statement … and while I believe that what Pete said was true, it was hard to take at the moment because what I really wanted was some understanding and some relief for me and for the lovely wife.
I’m reading in Judges now, and I have found it very interesting that God repeatedly used all kinds of godless nations surrounding Israel to bring them to a point where they finally turned back to Him. God may use some of the people around us to give us examples to follow (I thank God for these). Others may simply be sharp cutting tools or abrasives that God uses to, as James 1 says, test our faith and help us to learn patience and endurance … and shape us into the image of Christ.
That’s enough to think about for now. The peace of Christ to you.