Wishing to encourage her young son's progress on the
piano, a mother took her boy to a Paderewski concert. After
they were seated, the mother spotted an old friend in the
audience and walked down the aisle to greet her.
Seizing the opportunity to explore the wonders of the
concert hall, the little boy rose and eventually explored
his way through a door marked "NO ADMITTANCE."
When the house lights dimmed and the concert was about to
begin, the mother returned to her seat and discovered that
the child was missing. Suddenly, the curtains parted and
spotlights focused on the impressive Steinway on stage.
In horror, the mother saw her little boy sitting at the
keyboard, innocently picking out "Twinkle, Twinkle Little
Star."
At that moment, the great piano master made his entrance,
quickly moved to the piano, and whispered in the boy's ear,
"Don't quit. Keep playing."
Then, leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left
hand and began filling in a bass part. Soon his right arm
reached around to the other side of the child, and he added
a running obbligato.
Together, the old master and the young novice transformed
what could have been a frightening situation into a
wonderfully creative experience.
The audience was so mesmerized that they couldn't recall
what else the great master played, only the classic,
"Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."
Perhaps that's the way it is with God. What we can
accomplish on our own is hardly noteworthy.
We try our best, but the results aren't always graceful
flowing music. However, with the hand of the Master, our
life's work can truly be beautiful.
The next time you set out to accomplish great feats, listen
carefully. You may hear the voice of the Master, whispering
in your ear, "Don't quit." "Keep playing."
May you feel His arms around you and know that His hands
are there, helping you turn your feeble attempts into true
masterpieces. Remember, God doesn't seem to call
the equipped, rather, He equips the 'called.' Life is more
accurately measured by the lives you touch than by the
things you acquire. So touch someone by passing this little
message along.
