Jesus famously told a parable about talents. He probably didn’t have in mind playing “Peace Like a River” on a dulcimer or dribbling a basketball between the legs. But on Election Night, we gathered at church for such spectacles as part of our annual church-wide talent show.
Other acts included spelling “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,” turning 20 cartwheels in a row, and a jazzy rendition of “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” on the electric guitar.
The talent show closed with our seminary intern playing bagpipes. The instrument certainly has a distinctive sound, which, generally, I admire from a distance. Last Tuesday, I was on the front row.
Don’t misunderstand me: this bagpiper was very skilled. Afterwards, as my ears were still ringing, I thought about how diligently he must have practiced over the years.
Later that evening, as the election results came in, I gave thanks for all the workers and volunteers who gave countless hours to writing letters, making phone calls, and canvassing door-to-door. I remembered those people holding signs every Saturday morning at the traffic circle in downtown Pittsboro. Tuesday night was as much a victory for these volunteers as for the Democratic candidates.
The point of the parable of the talents is not to bury or hide your gifts but to share them for the wider good. Jesus taught us to make a personal investment in creating loving community. I think the same message can be found across religions. Maya Angelou put it beautifully:
Lying, thinking
Last night
How to find my soul a home
Where water is not thirsty
And bread loaf is not stone
I came up with one thing
And I don’t believe I’m wrong
That nobody,
But nobody
Can make it out here alone
It seems to me that our country is now headed in a better direction. But the solutions to our problems will take the sustained, combined effort of different races, religions, genders, ages, and experiences. We will need courage to act but also patience. The problems that we face are not solved overnight. Think of that bagpiper and how horrible he must have sounded in the beginning—his poor parents! But they supported him as he kept practicing and developing his talent until he could share it. And let me tell you, last Tuesday, nobody, but nobody, could forget it.
Andrew Taylor-Troutman is the author of the book with Wipf and Stock Publishers titled This Is the Day: A Year of Observing Unofficial Holidays about Ampersands, Bobbleheads, Buttons, Cousins, Hairball Awareness, Humbugs, Serendipity, Star Wars, Teenagers, Tenderness, Walking to School, Yo-Yos, and More. He lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina where he is a student of joy.
Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.
Little Big Moments: Parable of the Bagpipes Chapelboro.com.
Hence then, the article about little big moments parable of the bagpipes was published today ( ) and is available on chapelboro ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Little Big Moments: Parable of the Bagpipes )
Also on site :