As a child, my feelings for church were very similar to Twain’s timeless literary character, Tom Sawyer. What? I have to take a bath, comb my hair, put on some stiff shoes and ‘good’ clothes, just to sit still in some pews in a big room with a lot of other black folks and watch some guy yell, scream and spit about how everybody is going to hell? Much like other 8-year-old boys, I felt that this was cruel punishment. Sunday School was fine, because it was interactive and informative, but doing that 'group thang' for 11oclock service in the sanctuary? Hated it!! To make matters worse, one of the Sisters at the church ‘okey-doked’ me one Sunday…
Good Morning Brother David.
Good morning Sister Miles.
We’re having a program in 2 weeks here at the church and your mother told me it was okay if I asked you to serve on the program.
{2 weeks? Program? What did my mother say?? Needless to say, I sometimes had a problem paying attention when people were talking to me)
Uhh..Yes ma’am.
Good!! Here are the lyrics to the song you can start rehearsing. The solo you’ll be singing is called, ‘He’s Sweet I Know’
Okay..yes ma’am.
I took the photocopied hymnal page from her hand with the lyrics and music for the song. I kinda glanced at it and jammed it in my pocket as I was easily distracted by one of my church buddies who had poked me hard in the side and started walking away real fast in the milling crowd. Of course this was a challenge to play church ‘tag’ and I was eager to release some energy.
Okay..well, we’ll see you in 2 weeks here for the program Brother David. Make sure you get here early.
Yes ma’am.
I quickly nodded a goodbye and started walking quickly through the after service-congregating crowd trying to catch my buddy so that I could ‘tag’ him. I honestly never even thought about my impending performance until a couple of days later when I was at home.
Your uncle is going to be over here later to play the piano to help you practice your song.
(Huh? Uncle? Piano? MY song?? What was this all about??)
Uh..ma’am?? (I was confused)
David, the program is coming up, you need to start practicing that song Sister Miles gave you to sing. What did you do with the lyrics?
(I didn’t know WHAT she was talking about..but I did remember Sister Miles giving me some paper) I lost it.
What was the name of the song?
Uhh..umm (I always looked up to the ceiling and tried to LOOK like I was in deep thought, in actuality, I was completely clueless) I think it was something about Jesus. (That was ALWAYS a good answer for church questions)
My mother gave me the frown of disapproval. From that point on, I had to watch what I said, because if she caught wind that I was trying to be a smart az…POW! When my uncle showed up and phone calls were made, we found out that the song was ‘He’s Sweet I Know’. Somehow I hadn’t quite put the image of me singing in public, on a microphone, by myself, in front of a church full of folks all together in my head. I was okay with being in front of everyone, I was even okay with being ‘solo’ and the microphone was actually pretty cool to talk in. The only problem I had with the whole deal was the fact that I couldn’t sing..a lick. The practice sessions were brutal, they always ended with my mother angry with me..
Open your mouth, ain’t nobody go be able to hear you!!!
My uncle trying to coach me..
No David, you’ve got to HIT that note..you’re dragging.
And my sister dropping in the room from time to time and laughing at me mockingly when my mother wasn’t looking.
By the time the program time rolled around, my stomach felt like my intestines were shriveling up inside in a knot. To make matters worse, this was a 3 o’clock program and the choir stand was empty. So when the time came for me to do my solo, my uncle and I were the lone figures in the choir stand. He was at the piano, I was standing next to him holding the microphone and as I looked out into the congregation, all I could see was grown folks smiling, ready to be ‘served’ by one of the youth in the church. As soon as the song started, I knew I was in trouble..when I heard my voice come through the speakers, I sounded like Popeye the Sailor Man drinking a glass of water..A-gu-gu-ga-he’s sweet I KNOOW.
By the time I finished the song, tears of embarrassment were streaming down my face, my uncle was having to restrain himself from laughing out loud and the whole congregation was either clapping saying ‘Sing for the Lord’ or ‘That’s alright baby’. I didn’t even want to look at my mother cuz I already knew she had her ‘This lil n’ga is TRIPPING’ look on her face.
That all happened almost 25 years ago, and I haven’t been in a choir stand since. Singing is a talent that I simply don’t have. Some people are born with this natural ability of song. I have a wonderful collection of relatives that can sing, dance and play almost every musical instrument ever created. I used to sometimes wonder, “Am I the only person on this earth with NO talent??” It just didn’t seem fair. But lo and behold, I happened to be paying attention in Sunday School one Sunday morning and I heard something that caught my interest, Jesus’ parable of the talents:
Read Mathew 25:14-30.
Our Sunday school teacher explained to us that in this scripture, the word ‘talent’ was a measure of weight, not a specific unit of money or skill. And although all 3 of the servants had a different amount, they all had SOMEthing. The intended task for all is to work with what you got, for the good of the Lord. We’re not supposed to be wicked and lazy servants that just let our talent waste away without ‘investing’ it. Those who work, more will be given. Those who waste their talent, all will be taken away as the 29th and 30th verses illustrate:
29For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Can you imagine that? Right there written in the Bible in plain English! Not only does God make sure that EVERYONE has at least ONE talent, He wants EVERYBODY to be hustlers for Him. Sing a song, play the tambourine, serve on the usher board, minister to the sick, feed the widows and orphans, whatever it is that we DO, God wants us to use it to magnify His Kingdom. Hmph. I knew I couldn’t sing worth a lick, but I could read real well. Whenever they needed a scripture read out loud? Heyy…that’s ME!! That’s what I DO!! I can SERVE too!!
Sometimes we’ve got to look DEEP within ourselves to find our talent(s). Sometimes it’s so obvious, that we can’t see the forest because of the trees. Sometimes the talent is SOO close to following our dreams, that its too scary to even THINK about, let alone make this talent available for public knowledge and scrutiny. It can be a scary venture that will make other’s look at you funny “Uh ohh..I think he’s done turned into another one of those Jesus freaks!” The haters will put you under their spotlight, “She might be TALKING about God, but let’s watch what she DO!” The truth is that it really doesn’t matter what other people think, all that matters is how hard we ‘get down’ for God. Everybody can’t sing, but we all should strive toward being a profitable servant on the day of judgement, I know I do.
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