Played by itself, a minor cord on a musical instrument is a strange thing. It is an emotional cord. It sounds darker. It it used when there is a change of scene, or change in emotion in the movies we watch.  And, you never end a song with a minor chord. I read once that Beetoven’s wife Maria, to get him up in the morning, would go downstairs & play a piece on their piano, but she wouldn’t play the last chord, thus leaving the song hang on a minor chord. This would drive Beetoven crazy and he’d have to come downstairs to finish that last cord. Yet minor chords are a beautiful thing when mixed with the major cords. Most every song you listen to has minor chords in them.

Maybe that’s why the Lord see’s fit to place minor chords in our life. Those difficult circumstances, those emotional situations in our life. Those darker days we experience. If we focus just on those, life seems terrible.  But played alongside the brighter cords, its enchanting. Your favorite songs wouldn’t be the same with only major chords. As God’s favorite child, you wouldn’t be the same without minor chords He has perfectly positioned, placed and will continually play into your life! Resonate well fellow instruments.

A year ago in Thailand my friend Stu was explaining Buddhism to our team. He used an illustration that it took me a whole year to understand. I felt like the disciples when they’d walk away from Jesus discussing what He taught, & missing it completely. The illustration Stu used was, “if you are holding a knife & someone takes it away you’re going to get hurt”…and then he went on. Well that didn’t make sense to me, if you try to take my knife away, YOU are  going to get hurt not me! It was my misunderstanding though. For when I was in Thailand this year Stu was using the same illustration & said, “if your holding a knife BLADE when someone tries to take away the knife from you…etc.” His point (that I had missed) is in Buddhism they teach hold everything with a loose grip. Don’t get too attached to “things”. In Christianity we’d share that same sentiment. “Let go – be open handed – have a loose grip”.

I met an Amish man in Philadelphia once who explained his interpretation of Luke 6:30 “Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back.” He explained he heard a noise out in his large barn one night. He went out to see what was going on. Two men were stealing his ladders and loading them on their truck. He walked up and started helping them with the rest of the ladders. Needless to say, thy couldn’t let that continue, unloaded all the ladders and couldn’t get out of there fast enough. He explained, “I don’t know how I’d act in every situation, but this is the way I’d like to.”

Wow! I’ve been trying to figure out, how often should we do that? How do you get there? What am I holding too tightly to? If God pulls, will I get cut? What do I need to let go of? What do I need to have a loose grip with? Things, stuff, rights, pride; having my way? Once again hmmm…

I’d call this “Lesson From a Lotus”, or “From Mud to Maturity”.

A Lotus is a type of water lily considered a sacred plant in the Far East. It’s even the National Flower of India. Buddhism teaches 4 stages of the Lotus is similar to the 4 stages of growth of a Buddhist. The Lotus starts out growing in the mud; growing in the water; growing out of the water; and lastly, It blooms into a beautiful flower. Yet, in Buddhism it really doesn’t matter which stage you’re in, as it only effects “you” and your growth towards Enlightenment. In Christianity it effects you, but also those around you. Jesus gave us our target in Matthew 5:48, “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Perfect means. complete or fully mature. Full maturity should be our target.

There are some fish that when placed into an aquarium will become fully mature at only 6 inches long. Where if they were released into the ocean they may reach 6 feet long (e.g. some sharks). We have some cute 6” Christians walking around who enjoy swimming in their familiar puddle…but what if they were released into uncharted waters? hmmm

I read of a story of Albert Einstein’s young neighbor who asked the white-haired scientist, “What are you actually by profession?” “I devote myself to the study of physics,” Einstein replied. The girl looked at him in astonishment. “You mean to say you study physics at your age?” she exclaimed. “I finished mine a year ago.”

Ok, one last story…When Pablo Casals reached 95, a young reported threw him a question: “Mr. Casals, you are 95 and the greatest cellist that ever lived. Why do you still practice 6 hours a day?” And Mr. Casals answered, “Because I think I’m making progress.”

Our goal is to make progress every day of our life!!!

Let’s go back to what Jesus said, using another translation, “In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.” Mt.5:48