Excitement filled Mrs. Stofft’s voice as she told our high school ensemble that the St. Olaf Choir, her college choir, would be performing in a nearby city. She wanted us to experience firsthand the quality of sound that a choir could achieve. She decided to pay for a few of us to attend the concert, and I was one of the fortunate recipients. Mrs. Stofft, my high school choir director, saw and heard something in me that she decided to nurture. Attending this concert was one of the ways she invested in my life.
She spoke to us about the remarkable unity of sound the choir was able to attain.
“Our choir director had us join hands during vocal warm-ups and sing ‘ah’ on just one pitch in our respective vocal ranges using pure tone with no vibrato. We were told to listen very carefully to the person on our right and the one on our left. If we heard them move off the pitch even a fraction, we were to squeeze their hand to remind them to listen more carefully and move back into pure unison. This allowed each part to sing as though they were only one voice.”
The day of the concert arrived, and I could barely contain my anticipation. We settled in our seats, and soon the concert began. I listened in awe to the most beautiful choral sound I had ever heard. It seemed as though I was hearing amplified versions of one soprano, one alto, one tenor, and one bass, and the richness of the pure tone sent my heart soaring! Such sound! Many voices singing several parts but sounding as though coming from one voice in each part! That night I was left with a comprehension of unity that I had never seen or heard before, and I learned.
- I learned that it took a director who understood what was required to achieve that unity of sound and who was able to teach the choir members how to produce that pure quality. It was vital for each member to follow the commands of the director.
- Life Lesson: The Great Director of Heaven draws us in so the “sound” we make as the body of Christ is that of one voice not many voices. God alone understands how to instruct, train, and transform the members of the body of Christ to live out that quality of life before a broken world. It is vital that each one submit to the Director and to one another for the pure sound of the unified members of Christ’s body to be heard clearly and beautifully by those around.
- I learned that each member of the choir made the choice to submit to the director and to each other by yielding to the director’s instructions and the correcting of other members of the group. Each had to be willing to accept correction without angst, anger, or taking offense and to offer correction without pride, smugness, or passing judgment. Everything was for the good of the sound of the choir as a whole unit.
- Life Lesson: As part of the Body of Christ, we need to willingly choose to submit not only to Christ and His direction but also to one another. We must be ready to correct another without having an air of superiority, self-righteousness, or criticism. We should also be prepared to accept correction without fear, wrath, or resentment. If loving care among the members is evident, correction will be positive. Everything ought to be done so that the glory of Christ can be seen and heard.
- I learned that although each member of the choir was unique in their appearance as well as their talent, they formed just one choir ~ St. Olaf Choir. They were not known by their individual names but by their unified name.
- Life Lesson: Altogether, we are Christ ~ God-with-skin-on ~ to our world. We are one body even though our parts are many (I Corinthians 12:12). We are to be one harmonic voice in the ears of those around us.
- I learned that each member was responsible for listening to the sound of just two others ~ the ones nearest to them.
- Life Lesson: We are to listen closely to those nearest to us so when correction or encouragement is needed, we are already there and can be used to give assistance. Every member must give due attention, respect and honor to every other member of the body no matter what their role may be.
- I learned each member must be willing to release their own sense of entitled identity so that the audience could truly be fully immersed in the beauty of the music they were sharing.
- Life Lesson: If we are involved in our own sound without regard for blending our voices well with others, the world will hear the confusing sound of many voices ~ a spiritual babble. They will not understand the mixed messages they are receiving. Confusion and misunderstanding will keep them away from the One who can bring harmony into their lives.
All these truths beg these questions:
1) Is the concert we are performing before the world showing the unity Christ desires for His body to share?
2) Are we spiritually joining hands with those closest to us so we may sense when they are beginning to go out of tune and they may sense when we, too, are drifting off pitch.
3) Are we gently squeezing their hand ~ touching their lives ~ to help them get back in tune?
We need each other! I need you, and you need me as well. Together with Christ, we will be able to let the beauty of Jesus be seen and heard in us so a hurting world can find healing!
Prayer:
Jesus, please forgive me for the many times my failure to yield myself to Your direction and to join hands with others to receive and give correction has kept us from finding healing in You. I ask for Your help to lovingly touch the lives of those You bring into contact with my life so Your beauty may be seen, heard, and received. Cause the sound of the unified voices of Your people to be one voice ~ Your voice ~ to those in this world who are dying without You. Thank You. Amen.
Song For the Day:
They’ll Know We Are Christians By Our Love
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord;
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord;
And we pray that all unity will one day be restored.
Chorus: And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love,
yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.
We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand;
We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand;
And together we’ll spread the news that God is in our land.
We will work with each other, we will work side by side;
We will work with each other, we will work side by side;
And we’ll guard each man’s dignity and save each man’s pride.
All praise to the Father, from whom all things come;
And all praise to Christ Jesus, His only Son.
And all praise to the Spirit who makes us one.
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