Rescuing the Music of Mission
He has made everything beautiful in its time.
Ecclesiastes 3:11a
Journalist David Hajdu tells the memorable story of Wynton Marsalis, one of the most easily recognizable jazz musicians of our day and one of the premier jazz trumpeters of all time.
One night, Marsalis was playing with a small, little-known combo in a New York basement club. A few songs into their set, he walked to the front of the bandstand and began an unaccompanied solo of the 1930s ballad, "I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance with You." Hajdu records that the audience became rapt as Marsalis's trumpet virtually wept in despair, almost gasping at times with the pain in the music.
Stretching the mood taut, Marsalis came to the final phrase, with each note coming slower and slower, with longer and longer pauses between each one: "I..don't…stand….a…..ghost……of….….a….…..chance"
Then someone's cell phone went off.
It wasn’t just the typical ringtone. Rather, the phone began to chirp an absurd little tune. The audience broke up into titters, the man with the phone jumped up and fled into the hallway to take his call, and the spell was broken.
"MAGIC…RUINED," the journalist scratched into his notepad.
And then something amazing happened. Marsalis paused for a moment and began to play the cellphone melody note for note. Then he played it again, with different accents. Then he began to improvise with it, spinning out a rhapsody on the silly little tune, changing keys several times.
The audience settled down, slowly realizing that they were hearing something altogether extraordinary. Around and around Marsalis played for several minutes, weaving inspiration out of interruption.
Finally, in a masterstroke, he wound down seamlessly to the last two notes of his previous song: "…with…you." The audience exploded with applause.
Interrupted Mission
What a remarkable demonstration of determination. The brilliant musician refused to allow an interruption to preempt his “mission.” Rather, he used that interruption as a way to enhance his mission.
So, here’s a question for you to ponder. What if we would take the same view when it comes to our “mission”?
We think we know what will bring the greatest glory to God and most advance His Kingdom. And so, we set out to accomplish that – whether in our daily activities or in our long-term goals.
And then, someone’s cell phone rings. Something happens that would seem to derail our plans. We could give up. We could stop playing the music in frustration.
But what if we would pause, take a moment to recalibrate, and then use that interruption as a way to actually enhance the mission?
What if, at the end of the day, people would marvel at how we responded in the midst of difficulties or challenges?
Improvised Mission
I saw that clearly recently. A friend of mine was committed to church planting in New York City and was making great progress, especially among Brazilian immigrants.
Then he and his wife received word that her mother who was living in Florida required care. In my friend’s words, “I was totally committed to New York. I had no desire to move to Florida.”
However, to honor his family, he made the move. Little did he know that a huge opportunity would present itself. Tens of thousands of Brazilians were pouring into the state. He took advantage of this and has already planted five Brazilian churches…in Florida!
You may not be a church planter, but you can certainly follow this man’s example. Don’t allow a change of circumstances to alter your Kingdom mission.
It might not be as you’d planned. It might not be as you’d hoped. But it could result in even more beautiful music than you ever imagined.
Story found on PreachingToday.com
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