A few weeks ago, I stopped to watch a video of an organ player playing Toccata & Fugue (Dm) on the organ at the Berliner Dom cathedral. If you’ve never heard the piece, I’d highly suggest giving it a listen – or a watch: https://youtu.be/FHNLdHe8uxY?si=12_zpQtEwbSmqt6w
While I was watching the musician, I couldn’t help but notice something strange; at surface glance, the player appears to be a nerd – the type that would get shoved in trash cans in high school. Watch the video and you’ll understand what I mean.
However, it wasn’t his nerd-like countenance that stood out to me. Rather, it was his confidence.
Confident. Confidence. Swagger.
Confidence is one of those things that often gets painted in one light and few others; it’s associated with the type of appearance that confidently walks down a hallway, letting everybody else know that you own the space.
Confidence is often associated with the jocks and ‘cool’ people in the world. Not dorky organ players.
In the entire 12 minutes of the song, I didn’t hear a single mistake from the musician, as he made the towering organ pipes belt their notes out.
As I watched him play, I realized something:
I’d be petrified to even attempt a single line of the song…let alone, to play on an organ the size of a small building in front of a crowd.
Yet, the musician played…and he played with a pair of brass balls that most Super Bowl quarterbacks wished they had.
Confidence.
It comes in many shapes and sizes.
Every Sunday, I see another example of confidence. One of the people at my church, by the name of Texas, leads worship for the entire church with nothing but a guitar.
If you know Texas, you’ll meet a man who embodies humility. Yet, each Sunday he does something that would terrify the living daylights out of 99.9999% of people on the planet; playing an instrument and singing in front of others.
Every week, Texas inspires me. In fact, he’s the one person at the church that has impacted me the most since I started going there. Not because of his words, but because of his heart and the way he plays guitar. When I’m at home, I’m constantly challenged to pick up my guitar and try to play as beautifully as he does.
When you live by yourself, there are a lot of opportunities to waste your time on things that aren’t…productive. On more occasions than I can count, Texas has inspired me to do something that builds up the kingdom, rather than nursing unhealthy habits.
He might not know it, but while he’s leading worship, I’m stealing glances at his hands trying to figure out his techniques so I can attempt them (poorly) when nobody’s watching.
And with that…it’s time to practice.
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