Music Students
I have reached the age where I can audit classes for free at Washburn. I truly enjoy doing this. This is my fourth semester auditing a class here, and this one has been interesting.
The first two semesters I audited classes, I signed up for two and found it was too much with the other activities in my schedule (if you read a previous devotion, you read this sentence in a Patrick Stewart voice). I wish I had the energy and stamina level of my peer students.
But back to this semester. One of the objectives I have never had the opportunity to pursue has been music theory. You know identifying what major or minor scale a piece of music is written in and how several instruments (or one piano) can play chords of several types. I hope that understanding music theory with give me insight to play a song to glorify God better.
In the other classes I have audited, I felt like I was the outgoing student (I’m not, I’m an introvert), and every other student had their noses buried in a smart phone. In fact, in my first class (Intro to Sociology) I audited, I set a goal to draw out the other students to get them to talk to each other (and to me). You see, I spent my entire working career forcing myself to be more outgoing, especially around my peers or superiors.
Anyway, auditing music theory is different. I arrive about 1/2 hour or so before the class starts (this is how I am) and there are already 3 or so students in the student lounge area working and chatting. Today, one of them was talking about her activity at a music festival where she assisted the harp player. She commented that the harp was left on stage. I commented that an unattended harp would be too much of a temptation for me to leave alone. This started a more in depth discussion that I won’t detail.
“For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.” - Romans 12:3-8 ESV
“Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” - 1 Peter 4:8-11
It’s obvious to me that there are common characteristics of the average sociology student that differ from the average music student. This concept fits in perfectly with the description of the church in Romans.
I believe God made each of us according to his sovereign plan. God, please help me understand the gifts you’ve given me, to use them for your glory and to embrace the plan for my life. Here I am Lord, use me.
