BE LIKE CHILDREN

I once came across this fascinating story that I couldn't help but find a powerful message out of it. So allow me to share it with you.

A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that thousands of people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.

Three minutes went by and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried up to meet his schedule.

A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping continued to walk.

A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work.

The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried but the kid stopped to look at the violinist.

Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.

In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the top musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth 3.5 million dollars.

Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theatre in Boston and the seats average $100.

This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station

was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and priorities of people. The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour: Do we perceive beauty?

Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?

One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?

My conclusion to this is : How many times do we miss the presence of God in our lives.

I'd like to break this story down bit by bit and reveal something powerful from it.

We are always in a hurry to get or go to some destination. We also do this when we are in church.

"Three minutes went by and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried up to meet his schedule." (Some people would walk pass the house of God "church" and somehow feel that there is something happening inside, but they would just carry on and go where ever they are headed to and not get in and feel the love of God.)

"A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping continued to walk." (This woman represents these Christians whom when they are at church, in the presence of God, they give their offering with out even acknowledging the presence of the Holy spirit. They give offering just because they feel it's part of procedure. They think their offering is everything, they think by just going to church and it's time for offering then they give it's all done, but God wants a relationship with they. He wants intimacy with you.)

"A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work." (This man represents some of the Christians that when they are in church they always looking at their watches wondering when will the service finish because they probably need to be somewhere else after the service. In that manner that person is not entirely there and will not really feel the presence of God and won't hear Him speaking to him, may not receive what God has for him that day)

"The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried but the kid stopped to look at the violinist." (This is the part I'm more interested on and that caught my heart, it reminds me of the book of Matthew 19: 13-14: 13  Then little children were brought to Jesus, that He might put His hands on them and pray; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. 14  But He said, Leave the children alone! Allow the little ones to come to Me, and do not forbid or restrain or hinder them, for of such [as these] is the kingdom of heaven composed.

This whole story in my conclusion it revolves around this scripture. That we should be like children, be patient, kind and pay attention into every little detail that may mean nothing to someone old or grown up.

It's amazing that out of all the people that were walking past this violin player, it's only the kids that paid more attention to him yet they surely didn't know him and that he may be the greatest violin player. It is the same with Christians, you'd expect them to know and notice and feel the presence of God, but they'll be in too much of a hurry to notice or pay attention.

Jesus said the Kingdom of Heaven is for such (as these kids). Let's be like children before God, be eager to listen to Him, long for his presence. Let nothing else matter but to sit at His feet.

No one knew who that Violin player was really, they even did not notice when he was gone. Sometime we don't notice that God has left us, why? Because we do not pay attention to Him. "IN THE 45 MINUTES THE MUSICIAN PLAYED, ONLY 6 PEOPLE STOPPED AND STAYED FOR A WHILE. ABOUT 20 GAVE HIM MONEY BUT CONTINED TO WALK THEIR NORMAL PACE. HE COLLECTED $32. WHEN HE FINISHED PLAYING AND SILENCE TOOK OVER, NO ONE NOTICED IT. NO ONE APPLAUDED, NOR WAS THERE ANY RECOGNITION." We get into church and give offerings that we think are all that is required of us, and we don't take time and seek the face of God. We are always in a hurry.

But there will be a day that we will realize that God has been in our mist yet we did not realize it. I can imagine how some of these people felt when they came to realize that this violin player they walked pass on the station is the greatest violin player in the world, and that they could have heard him play for them just for free. Now they must have a ticket to enter just to hear him play the same song in the Arena. How would it feel to come into realization that God has been there beside you yet you did not pay attention, now that you need to hear Him speak you realize that it is too late. You have been busy with your daily earthly things, sin and you never took time to give your life to God. You shall seek people to preach the gospel and it would be too late.

Be like Children, they pay attention to every little detail. Pay the same attention to God and His word. Then the Kingdom of Heaven shall be yours.

How to break away from sin

Great speakers and preachers have either written or preached about this topic, but I can't help it not to share on it aswel. Allow me to take this parable Jesus used in the book of Luke15:11-24. I know that it has a different meaning, but I also find a message different from it's true meaning that Jesus was saying.

Luke15:11-24(amp)

11  And He said, There was a certain man who had two sons; 12  And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the part of the property that falls [to me]. And he divided the estate between them. 13  And not many days after that, the younger son gathered up all that he had and journeyed into a distant country, and there he wasted his fortune in reckless and loose [from restraint] living. 14  And when he had spent all he had, a mighty famine came upon that country, and he began to fall behind and be in want. 15  So he went and forced (glued) himself upon one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed hogs. 16  And he would gladly have fed on and filled his belly with the carob pods that the hogs were eating, but [they could not satisfy his hunger and] nobody gave him anything [better]. 17  Then when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father have enough food, and [even food] to spare, but I am perishing (dying) here of hunger! 18  I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. 19  I am no longer worthy to be called your son; [just] make me like one of your hired servants. 20  So he got up and came to his [own] father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity and tenderness [for him]; and he ran and embraced him and kissed him [fervently]. 21  And the son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son [I no longer deserve to be recognized as a son of yours]! 22  But the father said to his bond servants, Bring quickly the best robe (the festive robe of honor) and put it on him; and give him a ring for his hand and sandals for his feet. 23  And bring out that [wheat-]fattened calf and kill it; and let us revel and feast and be happy and make merry, 24  Because this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found! And they began to revel and feast and make merry. I believe that we are not perfect and we all sin, it may be a small or a huge sin. But before God it's a sin. The fact that someone is a Christian doesn't make them perfect, but it only means they have been redeemed and they received grace. It also don't mean they don't sin.

It's either we do it unknowing or someone led us to do it, or we just decided to sin. Yes it is possible that you can sin not knowing that what you are doing is not right and God doesn't like it. You are just trying to do a right thing but in a process you end up doing the wrong thing.

People can lead you to sin aswel, especially family members. But I want to focus on this one aspect of sin which is the one where you decide to go against Gods word. Most times we make a decision to rebel against God. Like the younger son on this parable, he decided to ask for his inheritance from his father while he is still alive. He basically was saying I don't wanna be living under your authority anymore. He was rebellious against his father.

We do become rebellious against God by committing in to sin while we know very well that what we are doing or about to do is against God's will. Sometimes people wanna go and taste sin, just to try and experience life on the other side. And you find them stuck in sin for a long time. Sometimes you would find a great preacher of the word of God being deep in sin, why, because he had made a wrong decision and committed sin. Some are still in church preaching, some are still in church every sunday they take their bibles and put on their uniform as if they are pure before God yet they are being slaves of sin, sin they made choice to commit. But Jesus says in Luke 19:10  "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost." Jesus seek for you, everyday every sermon that is being preached to you on sundays. Jesus is calling on you.

But here is a trick, God will not force Himself on you. (Genesis 3:8-10) when Adam and Eve have sinned God came and called them out, not because He did not know what they did and where they were hiding, but He needed them to make a decision to come out and confess their sin to Him."Here I am Lord". You have to make a decision, you have to take first step (Luke 15:18  I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight.) You have to first come to your senses and realize that you have sinned, then take the decision. Confess your sin and go to the father. Luke15:20 don't just end up by saying I will go, but stand up and go to the father.

You must be willing to serve God with everything, your entire being. (Luke15:19  I am no longer worthy to be called your son; [just] make me like one of your hired servants.) You must not demand forgiveness but offer yourself to Him, to be His servant. Come acknowledging your unworthiness, but the love of God will restore you as His son.

We serve a Loving God, He rejoices for one sinner that repent from sin"Luke15:23-24". He will accept and welcome you home with great joy. Jesus said Come to me all ye who are weary and tired and I'll give you rest. You go to Him not to the church not to your friend, listen, as the prodigal son went back to his father he eventually went back to his community. So is you, as you come to God you will eventually go back to church, but your focus should be unto God.

How to break away from sin? By following these few steps I have just pointed out, and repent. I hope that this will be useful to some who have been troubled by sin.