Wishing to encourage her young son's progress on the piano, a mother
took her boy to a Paderewski concert. After they were seated, the
mother spotted a friend in the audience and walked down the aisle to
greet her.
Seizing the opportunity to explore the wonders of the concert hall, the
little boy rose and eventually explored his way through a door marked
"NO ADMITTANCE." When the house lights dimmed and the concert was
about to begin, the mother returned to her seat and discovered that the
child was missing.
Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights focused on the impressive
Steinway on stage. In horror, the mother saw her little boy sitting at
the keyboard, innocently picking out "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star." At
that moment, the great piano master made his entrance, quickly moved to
the piano, and whispered in the boy's ear, "Don't quit. Keep Playing."
Then leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began
filling in the bass part. Soon his right arm reached around to the
other side of the child and he added a running obbligato. Together, the
old master and the young novice transformed a frightening situation into
a wonderfully creative experience. The audience was mesmerized.
That's the way it is with our Heavenly Father. What we can accomplish
on our own is hardly noteworthy. We try our best, but the results
aren't exactly graceful flowing music. But with the hand of the Master,
our life's work truly can be beautiful.
Next time you set out to accomplish great feats, listen carefully. You
can hear the voice of the Master, whispering in your ear, "Don't quit.
Keep playing." Feel His loving arms around you. Know that His strong
hands are there helping you turn your feeble attempts into true
masterpieces.
Remember, God doesn't call the equipped, He equips the called.
He'll always be there to love and guide you on to great things.