It has been a day of a few traditions, Father, but we also had the opportunity to share the gifts and abilities You gave us with others. May they retain the blessing we were able to share.

1 Corinthians 13:5a (<<click here to read the passage)

[Love] is not rude; it is not self-seeking… AMP

My major in college was Church Music. That was my occupational goal in service to the Lord. Upon graduating, I was privileged to serve as a full-time Minister of Music in a church in the St. Louis metro area suburb of Webster Groves. While there, I returned to Ohio to marry my college sweetheart and, within the year, accepted a position as a Minister of Youth and Music at a church in Marietta, Ohio. I so enjoyed leading choirs and all aspects of worship – congregational singing and special music, as well as gifted musicians on piano and organ who graciously shared their talents supporting those areas of ministry, along with preludes, postludes, and offertories.

I still love putting together all the components of worship, except now I’m also responsible for expounding on God’s Word. Doing them all helps me coordinate the different components to emphasize key points.

All parts of the body (both our physical bodies and the Body of Christ – the Church), whether great or small, significant or seemingly insignificant, contribute to the entire outcome of what the body can do.

I think the pianist or organist is one of the significant parts of worship. Yet, though they play that role in the body, there are things they do that people think are insignificant. We realize that accompanying our singing is of great importance. (Ask any church that doesn’t have an accompanist, and they will share how difficult it is.) But the problem arises during their preludes (music before the service begins), postludes (music bringing the service to a close), and offertories.

Now, I understand congregations settling into their pews as a service begins. There may be some noises of jostling bodies and audible “Excuse me” or “Is anyone sitting there?”s. So maybe some leeway can be extended during preludes. And possibly the same leeway could be extended to families with small children, amongst others, preparing to leave the service at its conclusion, making noise over the postludes.

But one area I think love should be extended is during offertories. Those playing offertories have often invested a fair amount of time in preparation. Many churches have gifted people, and their time of contribution to worship in the giving of our tithes and offerings should also be respected and revered.

Verse 5 states that love is not rude or self-seeking. Rude is defined as being discourteous or impolite, especially in a deliberate way. And self-seeking is being interested in your advantage in everything that you do. Carrying on conversations with your neighbors during the offertory is both rude and self-seeking. Doing that shows a lack of love for a member of the Body of Christ.

This is just one example of how we might improve our love for one another. Lord Jesus, help us to be sensitive to one another, loving others as we love ourselves. Amen.

Dec 25th, 2023, Mon, 8:14 pm