Speaker: Dr. Harold J. Sala | Series: Guidelines For Living | And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:17

The next time that you feel that you don’t count, please remember the time Sir Michael Costra was conducting a rehearsal of a combined orchestra and choral group.  About half-way through the rehearsal, the person playing the piccolo began thinking that amidst all the noise of drums, trumpets, violins, and so forth, that his lowly contribution didn’t amount to much.  So he continued to keep the musical instrument pursed to his lips, but he stopped playing.

Moments later the conductor shouted, “Stop!  Stop!” and exclaimed, “Where’s the piccolo?”  And the piccolo player thought that he made no difference.

There are lots of piccolo players!  You will find them in every church as well as in schools, service clubs, and organizations–the person who thinks, “I don’t matter.  Nobody notices what I do.  Nobody ever says ‘Thank you!’”  Like the piccolo player in Costa’s orchestra, they show up for a while, going through the motions of holding their instrument, and then they finally quit!

The difference between life and the orchestra is that God doesn’t shout, “Stop! Stop!  Where’s the piccolo?”   And seldom does anyone take you by the shoulder, patting your hand warmly, and say, “Please don’t quit!”

A powerful question which makes you a self-starting piccolo player is simply, “What’s my motive?”  Am I doing this because of the kind words or compliments which come my way?  Or am I doing this because I believe that whether my part is small or great, it counts because I’m doing this as unto the glory of God!

In one of Agatha Christie’s stories, there is a line which bears repeating.  Mr. Satterwaithe says, “Your cue may not come ’til the end of the play–it may be totally unimportant, a mere walking-on part, but upon it may hang the issue of the play.  If you do not give the cue to another player the whole edifice may crumple.  You, as you, may not matter to anyone in the world, but you as a person in a particular place may matter unimaginably.”

So is it in life!  In the economy of God there is no such thing as greatness or trivia, for with Him the small and the great make wholeness and it takes each, endowed with the special purpose of the Creator.

This, of course, runs contrary to the logic and thinking of the world that places far greater honor on the athlete than the teacher, far greater importance on the movie star than the mother, far greater importance on the man who makes a lot of money than the faithful father who is a model dad and husband.

This is why motives must be very clear!  God has his payday, someday, and we must be willing to work and wait.  Paul addressed this issue when he wrote to the Colossians, saying, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.  It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Colossians 3:23-24).

Friend, we must see the whole issue in a larger perspective–that of the entire orchestra and realize that no matter how large or small your part, it is important.  You must believe that, and the only way you can hold on to that truth is, at times, to tell your emotions where to get off.

For me, the ageless principles of Scripture help me to keep it in perspective.  When you are tempted to quit, listen carefully, and you will hear the still voice of God asking, “Where’s the piccolo?”

Resource reading: Colossians 3:1-17