Every December I have bulldog determination to do one thing: attend a Christmas concert with a big choir and a full orchestra. Thankfully opportunities abound, and last weekend I was privileged to be at Moody Church to hear an extravaganza of glorious music, everything from “Let it snow!” to the “Hallelujah Chorus.”
We found seats in the balcony, front row, looking straight down on the violin section of the orchestra. Watching those musicians play with vigor made me wish I hadn’t given up violin lessons when I was 13.
What joy it would have been to play in such a group, but my orchestra experience will always be limited to the one I had in junior high school. Though I never made it to the first violin section, playing in that assortment of “newbies” was still a special pleasure.
Sadly, I stuck with violin lessons for only 2 years and didn’t even learn how to wiggle my fingers into a vibrato. My teacher was as irritated with me as I was with him, probably because every week I pestered him to let me do the wiggling thing. “You’ve got to get better at the basics first!” he’d say, completely exasperated with me.
When it was time to begin my 3rd year of lessons, I told Mom I didn’t want to continue. After too many arguments over skimpy practice time, she was happy to comply, and she sold my violin within a week, a sure sign she’d been as frustrated as I had.
Most adults have a music-regret to match mine. After we begged our parents for weeks, they finally gave in and generously provided funds, transportation, time, and an instrument. We began with gusto, but not long into the commitment, enthusiasm was replaced with practice battles. Eventually the option to quit became everybody’s first choice, though parents didn’t let us give up without a lecture and one last jab: “You’ll be sorry!”
Listening to those violinists at Moody Church, I knew they’d been right.
But middle school kids are still learning accountability for their actions and make lots of mistakes. We older folk know by harsh experience that quitting when commitments get tough becomes an unattractive character trait we’d rather not have. No one wants to be known as a quitter. It’s better to be someone who does what she says she’s going to do.
God is the ultimate pro at this, doing everything he says he will, and since he’s God, that covers millions of pronouncements, promises, and predictions. If we want to be more like him, we need to practice keeping our commitments. When we feel like quitting, we should ask him for fresh perseverance, because he’s promised to help us cope.
And he keeps all of his promises.
“Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9)