A friend came to tune our piano.
It was a lengthy process, as our piano has not been tuned for the entire time we’ve owned it. Each key had to be tuned to the tone it was designed to play, in addition to being tuned to its fellow keys. The tuner worked meticulously with a small wrench and hammers, cleaning out the pennies that the baby had dropped years ago and the candy my son dropped months ago.
When the broken pedals were fixed, the keys were carefully tuned, and the dust and debris was removed, my children sat down to play. The first touched a key and smiled at the perfect note, and then they played. They played all evening. The house filled with resonant music.
My daughter said, “It just makes me feel peaceful when it is in tune.”
My husband has been preaching from Romans 12 about overcoming evil. It’s easy to see the discordant notes of evil throughout the world and our community; it takes a more practiced ear for me to hear the evil in my own heart.
However, if the notes coming from my own heart are out of tune, I add to the cacophany of noise instead of joining in with the symphony.
As I listened to my friend tuning the piano and my husband preaching that we need the whole church working as the body of Christ to overcome evil, I realized I needed some tuning.
First, I needed to be tuned to the Master tone. He is the standard which tells me if I am out of tune or not. Then, I need to be played to see if I am in step with the “keys” around me, my brothers and sisters in Christ.
I am always tempted to do things myself, independent of anyone else. It eliminates the awkwardness of asking for help (pride) and the frustration of being let down (selfishness). However, this past Sunday, the Lord helped me see that I need a healthy dependence on my church.
As I taught Sunday school, others reminded the noisy children to sit quietly. Others cooked a meal. Still others made dessert. Others drove the van, picking up children and families who wanted to attend. There were others who served the meal. Another taught the memory verse. Others made the rounds, speaking to visitors and listening to children who wanted to talk. There were even others who, unseen, cleaned the church after the rest of us went home. It was evident that the Master pianist was playing resonant music on His finely tuned piano, with every key in tune with Him and with all the “other” keys.
The world is full of evil that we are instructed to overcome with good. The good which overcomes is the good Jesus produces in us when we are willing to submit to tuning and ready to be played in harmony with others.
When all of our hearts play in tune, His peace will have come.
Sarah Dixon Young 