Tuesday, February 4, 2003
Tuesday, February 4, 2003
[Jesus] having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for
all who obey him.
The day came for the first performance. The hall was filled with people. As Fulghum got up to
the podium, he explained to the audience that he represented them and anybody among them
who had always wanted to conduct. He apologized for not carrying a conductor's baton, but
every time he used a baton in rehearsal he accidentally threw it into the chorus. Then he began
conducting the orchestra. It wasn't as easy as he thought. Every time the tempo of the music
changed he experienced an adrenaline rush and came in waving his arms at a speed about ten
beats faster than normal. The result was that the music was played too fast. The next day a
critic called the performance "crisp."
On the final night of the performance Fulghum felt drained and exhausted. Before the
performance he told the audience that it was an insult to the greatness of the music for
someone to conduct who didn't know how. Then he asked the real conductor to come forward
and do justice to the music. And he did. It was the orchestra's finest night. The audience was
so moved that they stood through the entire performance.
There are many people who do all right in life. Out of sheer determination to succeed they make
their way to the top of the heap. But it doesn't last. There comes a time when, for whatever
reason, they are drained and exhausted. When that time comes, the wise person asks the
Master Conductor to come forward and do justice to the music. Otherwise their music becomes
mindless noise.
(Hebrews 5.9
NRSV)
Robert Fulghum, author of such books as ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN
KINDERGARTEN always had a secret dream of conducting an orchestra. His wish came true
when he was invited to conduct the Minneapolis Chamber Symphony in a series of
performances. He had never conducted an orchestra in his life so he practiced in his living room
by waving his arms while listening to a recording. Have any of you ever conducted an orchestra
in your living room? It's much more difficult working with an actual orchestra. For the next six
months Fulghum practiced.
God of music, come and conduct the journey of my life, as I serve you. Amen.
