Learning About The Gospel at a Piano Recital

Michael Kelley:

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. That’s what I was expecting.

I got Twinkle, Twinkle, but I got a whole lot more. We took the 3 kids to a piano recital this week featuring two of our young friends. They were fantastic. They each played some 20 pieces of short music from memory, including a jazzy rendition of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. This one, though, used both hands and all kinds of flourishes.

Here’s the thing, though. Joshua, our 6 year old, also started taking piano lessons this year. He is good friends with one of the kids playing at the recital and knows the other one pretty well, too. They are older than Joshua and have been taking piano longer than he has. And they study in a different method than Joshua does – one that emphasizes playing by ear before learning to read sheet music. And as I sat there listening to their fantastic performances, I had some moments of insecurity:

I hope Joshua doesn’t get nervous about his own recital that’s in a couple of weeks.

These kids are awesome and Joshua isn’t to their level yet.

Is he going to think he’s awful at piano after hearing them play?

Here’s the amazing thing, though: It did not even occur to our son – not even once – to compare himself to the boys on the stage. He sat there and bobbed his head to the music and then vigorously applauded after each number. At one point, he leaned up to me and whispered with a huge smile on his face, “They’re playing with both hands!”

Astounding. Where is the jealousy? Where is the self-loathing? Where is the insecurity? Nowhere to be found. Instead, there was the simple innocence of being genuinely happy for another without comparing yourself to them.

That’s what the gospel is taking us to...

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