Third grade was the first time I ever heard a cello. The rich bellow of the low chords rumbled awake by a nimble bow, the assertive plucking punctuating a gentle melody. I was enamored. Immediately I asked our music teacher if I could give it a whirl. Clunkily, I learned over long hours of practice, attuning my ear to pitch and key. Just when I thought I could coax a cohesive sound from the wooden instrument, I was introduced to the concept of a quartet. My teacher sat me before a violist, violinist, and a stand-up bass player, none older than 5th grade, and began orchestrating us. At first, it was a total disaster. Think of alley-cats fighting over a have-eaten tuna can. Slowly but surely, we began to sync up. The violin and viola carried the soft melody while I and the bassist complimented the harmonies with warm tones. What was once a singular tune lit up with complexity and rich harmony! Suddenly, I couldn’t imagine the song without my friends; the cello alone would not do.

The same is true of the family of God. Like an orchestra, we, as a church, are composed of a multitude of instruments. Chirpy brass, smooth strings, booming percussions, energizing electrics. In isolation, they can be beautiful, but in their coordination, their purpose is revealed. No instrument is left out, even the ones we may classify subjectively as obscure (I’m looking at you, Triangle). They all have a purpose that only complements that of the other. Our sound and shapes may vary, but the Spirit of God within us remains the same – the Great Conductor. When we “tune” into the Spirit, we can appreciate not only our unique design, gifting, and purpose but that of others, even if they differ from us. We no longer desire to play on our own once we’ve tasted the sweet symphony, we, as the body of Christ, are created to be. So, let’s tune in, Church. 3 … 2 … 1 … 

Today’s action step: Today, pay attention to your interactions with other members of the body of Christ (inside or outside Calvary). This could be in conversation, serving, Bible study, or simply small interactions. What do you notice about how your make and their make complement each other?