Seeking Harmony

    

      

      I've often said that I came out of the womb singing harmony, and no wonder with two gifted musicians for parents. I'm sure that, like my son, I was exposed to music from the moment of conception. I can tell you this: Christian danced all the way through a James Taylor concert in my belly, and I'm pretty sure he's still a fan! But for me it was always the harmony my ear was drawn to, and my voice couldn't help but follow. In my head, I more often hear harmonies than melodies. 

      In a devotion I just read I was reminded that the black keys on a piano are just as essential as the white keys. Any pianist will tell you that it is a rare song that is played only on the white keys or only on the black keys: either one would lack "color" (pun intended). And speaking of color, think of the rainbow. Without sun AND rain, darkness and light, there would be no color, no rainbow.

      There are so many obvious applications to each of our lives: without the dry times, would we appreciate the floods of bounty? Without the dark times would we appreciate the light of joy? Without hunger could we truly savor a tasty meal? Without the bleak winter would we even notice the bloom of spring? Imagine if God had created just one type of animal or plant, or if all humans looked exactly alike! I can only think how mundane, even boring, life would be if every day were exactly the same. To me it would become as painful as listening to a piece of music consisting of one note played endlessly without harmony.

      Maybe it's this "harmony hang-up" I have that has always drawn me to the West Indies, and particularly Jamaica. Oh, I love their music, make no mistake, but that's not what I'm talking about here. From my first visit there, I was struck by the array of skin colors, not just in the country, but in individual families. And no one talks about whether an individual is a "black Jamaican" or a "white Jamaican," because they are all different shades on the scale of color, as unique and essential as each note on a piano keyboard. Jamaicans are actually proud of their mixed heritage, as expressed in their motto, "Out of many, one people."  

      What is it about America these days that makes my dream of harmony seem like a childish fantasy? Maybe every prejudiced American could be transported to Jamaica for a few days to experience this harmony? Or what if we all just humbled ourselves, took ourselves off of the throne where only God belongs, and began to look at others as God sees us all: unique individuals, EACH created in His image and for His glory.

     "Then God said, let us make man in our image, according to our likeness.... So God created man in His own image; He created him in the image of God; he created them male and female."  (Genesis 1:26-27 CSB)

"Do not take revenge or bear a grudge against members of your community, but love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord."  (Leviticus 19:18 CSB)

"But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in Heaven. For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have?" (Matthew 5:44-46 CSB) 

"I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another."  (John 13: 34 CSB)

  Oh, friend, the God of the universe MUST love color-- He created it! There's no reference to a particular color in Genesis 1! His first covenant promise was contained in a rainbow, which comprises all the colors in in the prism!  Jesus, the Son of God, in His last hours on earth prayed for us: "I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, protect them by Your name that You have given me, so that they may be one as we are one."  (John 15:11 CSB)  Anyone else longing for a little harmony? Pray with me "that [we] may be one!" 💗

                           "He must increase, but I must decrease"  (John 3:30)

♱