"Wishing to encourage her young son’s progress on the piano, a mother took her boy to a Paderewski concert. After they were seated, the mother spotted an old friend in the audience and walked down the aisle to greet her. Seizing the opportunity to explore the wonders of the concert hall, the little boy rose and eventually made his way through a door marked, ‘No Admittance.'
"When the house lights dimmed and the concert was about to begin, the mother returned to her seat and discovered that her child was missing. Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights focused on the impressive Steinway on stage. In horror, the mother saw her little boy sitting at the piano, innocently picking out 'Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.'
"At that moment, the great piano master made his entrance, quickly moved to the piano, and whispered in the boy’s ear, 'Don’t quit. Keep playing.' Then leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began filling in a bass part. Soon his right arm reached around to the other side of the child, and he added a running obbligato. Together, the old master and the young novice transformed what could have been a frightening situation into a wonderfully creative experience. The audience was so mesmerized that they couldn’t recall what else the great master played. Only the classic, 'Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.'
"Perhaps that’s the way it is with God. What we can accomplish on our own is hardly noteworthy. We try our best, but the results aren’t always graceful, flowing music. However, with the hand of the Master, our life’s work can truly be beautiful. Next time you set out to accomplish great feats, listen carefully. You may hear the voice of the Master, whispering in your ear, 'Don’t quit. Keep playing.' May you feel His arms around you and know that His hands are there helping you turn your feeble attempts into true masterpieces."
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.(Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)
What might your life be like if you willingly give your own efforts to God and allow Him to transform them into His masterpiece?
The source of this story about Paderewski is unknown. Ignacy Jan Paderewski, who died at 81, was a Polish virtuoso pianist, composer, a statesman who spoke for Polish independence, and president of Poland soon after World War I.
Photo by Nightowl at pixabay.com/users/nightowl-29/
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