I asked the high school band director if he had a place for me. He did. Tuba. One of the biggest instruments in a marching band. I weighed 118 pounds.
We were preparing for marching band competition with 85 members. Our high school had 472 students. Our uniforms were old. Our instruments were old. None of the excuses worked for Director Smith. He was ruthless.
He fussed, chained smoked, and when all else failed, he cussed!
We were not making much progress. Then one day while drilling on the football field he yelled for us to stop. What followed was not nice. He was angry!
Mr. Smith was in the Press Box. He called three people off the field up to the Press Box---for the aerial view. The rest of the band went through a drill. Three went down from the Press Box, and three more went up. Each three to the Press Box was three more converts. They saw the whole picture!
We shaped up and took First Place in the competition with an army colonel as the judge. He saw past our aged uniforms and instruments. We knew a straight line. We kept formation. We did our routine. Score of 98!
My deep concern for these times is that we have lots of players on the field marching around without perspective. A lot of folks on the field doing their own thing is confusing, ugly and can be disastrous. Folks say weird things and do worse.
News media gives us only a myopic view of events….mostly bad news. We see/hear a story about Tuscaloosa, AL’s tornado, call a friend there, and find the truth is a lot different than TV. Or, we call a friend in Cleveland TN to find out that national news media has not even reported loss.
We hear of a church without pews or chairs. Everyone stands up for the whole service. The church is rocking. Packed out. The person sharing with me says: “I have a bad knee. Can’t go to church there and stand up for two hours.”
What we need is for folks to go up to the Upper Room---call it the Press Box. Press on through. Read the Word. Spend some time in prayer. Listen to the Director point out how things are, ought to be, and will be. Get the facts. Recognize that the Whole Picture is bigger than the little world of individuals doing their thing. God is far more interested in your holiness than net worth. Feel good worship that does not sanctify the soul is dangerous.
Pastor David Wilkerson had a tragic accident and went to be with the Lord. When Laila and I heard, we were saddened. His daughter and her family were once members of Covenant Church. We have visited with Pastor Wilkerson in Times Square Church. He took us to dinner and his home.
News about this tragic loss of a man of God? We looked. No station we checked carried the news of Pastor Wilkerson’s death that evening. The big news was the royal wedding in England. Palace with 728 rooms. Pretty faces. Pomp and splendor.
I could not help but think that heaven must be seeing things differently.
My suggestion to you is that you pass up the loose talk of carnal people who are playing around on the field and claiming to be Christians. They run here and there. They have no roots. They are looking for feel good. Forget about serving others. ME! Me is the NOUN. Me is the main subject.
But I vow to you that if you will hear the call to the Press Box and go, you will see the Church. You will see that Christ died for you. You will see that all your righteousness is as filthy rags [Isaiah 64:6] without Jesus. You will see the deep and penetrating need to become an integral part of a Body of believers working together, edifying, evangelizing, discipling and ministering to a lost world.
My decision is to put down roots with good folks who are committed. I am not into fanfare that is self-serving. If we are not fulfilling the Great Commission, the Inspector General will dismiss us from the field. No rewards. No First Place trophies. No celebration. No Crown of Life. No
“Well Done” and “Welcome Home.”
Hope you see the Whole Picture and become a living sacrifice for Christ and His Church!
Pastor Bare.