Awful, awful choir

After the weekend retreat, I did my regular churchly duty, and showed up for Sunday night choir (folk group.) After a weekend when I had been able to move many with music, soaring musically in ways I never had before, my folk group was just awful. We were terrible. Still, everyone knows us, and they just laughed. We weren't unhappy or worried - it happens.

For me, it was a valuable lesson, and I think God made an important point to me through it. When we soar, we soar on wings He gives us. We should never be too impressed with our own abilities, for they have their source in Him. That is not to say I advocate self-mortification after a job well done - certainly anyone should feel satisfaction after doing something well. But with it, I believe in adding a healthy dose of humility. Anything we are capable of doing well, we are also capable of doing badly. And the difference between a job well done and one thoroughly botched can be quite thin.

All we do well comes from God, and serves His glory. We should offer it back up to Him. He is happy to give us good gifts, and I believe He is pleased when we do well with our gifts. But like any parent Christmas morning, He wants our eyes to light up with wonder when we unwrap the gifts He gives.... and I imagine He's not adverse to a well-earned thank you. :-)