I've noticed lately in some other people's blogs that they write at the start of their blog, "What I've Read Today..." or "Currently Listening To...." Tonight I was curious to know what people's reactions might be if I revealed that what I've been reading is the score of a Luciano Berio composition in an anthology on Music of the Twentieth Century. I imagine some people would be surprised. (Though I imagine most people who know me well would not be overly shocked....)

I was curious, though, at my own reaction to studying this score. The piece, a folk song entitled "Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair," is what is usually termed "modern music" in the classical realm - in other words, it was composed around or after the turn of the 20th century. (Actually, not particularly modern anymore, but more so than Mozart or Beethoven....) Now, I'm not sure this will make sense to anyone not familiar with score-reading or even music reading, but it's odd! The voice part has bar lines - it is separated into regular parts, pretty much a necessity in music if you want all your instruments to play together. But the viola part has no bar lines at all! In fact, its first line has instructions that read "independente dal canto" or "individually sung." What?!? As I continued to read the piece of music and heard it play in my head I decided I didn't like it. It was too unorganized, too crazy, too "outside the box." (To give you a slightly better feel for what I mean here, basically you would not be able to tap your foot along with the music - there would be no specific beat....)

And then I stopped short. Don't I love music? All kinds? Especially all kinds of classical music? Didn't I learn to appreciate 20th century music when I studied it for four years in university? Yes, unless my memory is really bad. So why the quick judgement call on a piece of music I've only heard in my head? (My head does sometimes play wrong notes....)

And then it was like God dropped a little thought into my head (after the Berio excerpt was finished). It went like this: "Doesn't that remind you of how sometimes people - including you - shut off the possibility of worshipping to music that is outside of their box?" Huh. Yes, it does.

Some people like to musically worship through hymns, and therefore detest the contemporary choruses. Some people prefer the contemporary choruses and therefore despise the old hymns. Some people like both of those but can't stand the stuff in between (1905 or 2005, but don't give them something from 1967!). It's such an old conversation, I know. But is it done? Beyond styles of music there are also styles of worship leading. Do we really need to find our favourites just to be free to worship? Or should we instead be trying to find God in the midst of even the music or leadership that is not our favourite? Would that not be something that promoted unity in the body and brought great pleasure to our great God?

I find that even though I speak about this a lot with pretty much anyone who will listen, it is an issue that still comes up for me - if a song is 'tired' in my estimation, can I still worship Almighty God through it? Or do I give up and wait for something I like better or that resonates more easily with me? If I don't care for the worship leader, either their style of leading or them personally, will I persevere through my own humanness to find the only worthy God? I am working on it. I hope you are, too.

"A heart in love with Jesus does not need its favourite song, led in its favourite key by its favourite worship leader to lose itself in the arms of God. A heart in love with God needs one thing: God." - Jami Smith




40 DAYS OF PURPOSE
Chapter Thirty-Four: Thinking Like a Servant

Main idea: Being a servant includes actually developing the mindset of a servant, not just executing the actions of one. You must think like a servant.
Most impactful verse: "Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under His power, and that He had come from God ... so He got up from the meal, took off His outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around His waist. [In reference to the washing of the disciples' feet.] (John 13:3-4 NIV)"
Most impactful concept: Each of the five things that Rick Warren outlines as having a servant mindset was impacting:
(1) Servants think more about others than themselves.
(2) Servants think like stewards, not owners.
(3) Servants think about their work, not what others are doing.
(4) Servants base their identity in Christ.
(5) Servants think of ministry as an opportunity, not an obligation.
Other thoughts: Again, the more I read about the true heart and mind of a servant, the more my prayer is, "God have mercy on me, and make me a truer servant."