2 minute read.
Daily Reading: Job 1:1-3:26 ESV, 1 Corinthians 14:1-17 ESV, Psalm 37:12-29 ESV, Proverbs 21:25-26 ESV
Daily Verse: “If even lifeless instruments, such as the flute or the harp, do not give distinct notes, how will anyone know what is played?” (1 Corinthians 14:7 ESV)
APSYCHOS (6038): “Lifeless, inanimate: -lifeless.”[i]
Inanimate.
No one will know our song if we don’t play our tune. In writing to the Corinthians, Paul uses musical instruments to make his point. Sound doesn’t come from the harp unless someone strums its strings. The same applies to our lives; no one will know who we follow if we don’t do what God says.
When you place your faith in Jesus, receiving the unconditional love He offers, you must share it. If you keep the grace and mercy to yourself, no one else will know the life-changing experience Jesus offers. Loving others like God loves you shares the message of the Gospel best.
Tune your instrument.
If you have attended a musical event, you know the musicians tune their instruments before they play. Picking up the inanimate object and tuning it for optimum performance make a good show. But no one will hear the music if people don’t play their horns.
In the same way, if we don’t strive to fine-tune our love skills, people will never know the impact Jesus can have on their lives. Creating a pure heart, ready and willing to serve the Lord, takes practice. Each day, we must seek God through His word, prayer, people, and circumstances, looking for Him in all we do—and then sharing what we find.
Ron and I had one of our heart-to-heart discussions. One of those times when hubby showed me the wrong attitude of my spirit. Having the right perspective with an impure heart doesn’t win anyone to Christ. I had a correct opinion on this topic, but relationships don’t revolve around correctness; they revolve around the connection.
Lovingly, Ron helped tune my instrument by showing me an area that needed adjusting. My goal of loving God and others requires that I accept feedback about my actions. When I do, I become a better lover for Jesus. One day at a time, we fine-tune our instruments.
Don’t become lifeless, not playing your instrument. Practice loving God and people every day. With each passing hour, you become more in tune with the Conductor. Christ’s melody of love spreads worldwide when we keep our instruments active and in tune with God.
[i] NIV Exhaustive Concordance Dictionary, 2015 by Zondervan